There are common features of human civilization that have formed over the past 12,000 years. Human civilization has always developed along rivers. The history that mankind has accumulated has consistently developed around rivers such as the Nile, the Tigris, the Euphrates, the Indus and the Yellow River. Rivers could be used in agriculture and to create a future, or for trading with the outside.

The Korean Peninsula is no exception. Ancient civilizations in the northern, central and southern parts of the Korean Peninsula were formed around the Daedonggang, Hangang, Nakdonggang and Yeongsangang Rivers. The ancient kingdoms of Goguryeo, Silla and Baekje, just three of the ancient kingdoms found here, formed along the banks of these rivers and they grew and developed while interacting, trading and competing with each other.

The southeast region bordering the Nakdonggang River (낙동강, 洛東江), which is the longest South Korean river at 513.5 kilometers and which has a drainage basin of ​​23,860 square kilometers, played a major role from the Three Kingdoms of Korea (57 B.C.-A.D. 668) through to Goryeo (918-1392) and Joseon (1392-1910). There were numerous minor kingdoms around the Nakdonggang River before the Three Kingdoms of Korea and Unified Silla (668-935). Early Silla was a small country based in Gyeongju (경주, 慶州). Silla conquered other small kingdoms around the Nakdonggang River and gradually expanded by actively interacting with its neighboring kingdoms. Finally, it unified itself in the 7th century. The smallest kingdom, located at the most undeveloped spot on the Korean Peninsula, won a victory in the final battle against its rivals, Baekje and Goguryeo.

Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, geographically the largest province in Korea, was once the base of the Silla Kingdom, the peninsula's first unified kingdom. The province covers 19,029 square kilometers, exactly 19.1% of South Korea's territory. In 2015, the population was 2,705,205. The history of Gyeongsangbuk-do can be traced back 700 hundred years to Goryeo times. In 1314, the name of the province was developed from the first letters of the two main cities: the Silla capital of Gyeongju and a major city on the Nakdonggang River, Sangju (상주, 尙州). The development of Gyeongsang-do Province began at the end of the 19th century with Daegu City at the center.

On Feb. 19, 2016, Gyeongsang-do Province entered a new era. The provincial government building moved from Daegu (대구, 大邱) to Andong (안동, 安東). As the Gyeongsang Gamyeong (경상감영, 慶尙監營), the province's chief executive, opened in Daegu in 1601, now, 415 years later, it has moved to a new place.

Straddling the Nakdonggang River, since prehistoric times and through Goryeo and Joseon, the city of Andong has kept alive many traditions and practices of the past. In the 10th century, Goryeo, the second unified kingdom on the peninsula, ended a 30-year war near Andong. Taejo Wang Geon (태조 왕건, 太祖 王建) (877-943), the founder of Goryeo, was successful in oppressing its strong rival, the Hubaekje Kingdom, by gaining support from the powerful families (호족, 豪族).

Most importantly, Andong is a cultural city that holds the image of Joseon times, the foundation of Korean culture and tradition. Confucianism formed a highlight as Neo-Confucian culture flourished under the Confucianism built by the yangban or aristocratic families, known as the noble families (명문, 名門) during Joseon times, under the educational seowon (서원, 書院) educational institutes and the local Confucian schools (향교, 鄕校), spaces where Confucian scholars exchanged information.

The relocation of the provincial government from Daegu to Andong reflects the will of the people to open a new era by carrying on Korea's culture, from the Unified Silla through to the Goryeo Kingdom and Joseon. Unified Silla began with the idea that “Good governance is renewed daily and reaches everywhere.”(덕업일신 망라사방, 德業日新 網羅四方). The origin of the modern English name for the country (국호, 國號) can also be found here.

Despite its rich culture, the northern part of the Gyeongsang-do Province, where Andong lies, falls behind in industry, transportation and business. Therefore, the relocation of the provincial government buildings to the area implies that Gyeongsangnam-do Province will develop with Andong in the middle.

Under the relocation, the country formed a new central axis. Located at 36 degrees north latitude, the new provincial government building stands at the same latitude as Sejong City. It is expected to make a new developmental axis. The distance between Sejong and the new building is 107 kilometers. The distance will take 40 minutes by car once the east and west expressway is completed. Also, it will only take one hour to reach Andong from Seoul, so the relocation affects the entire country. Therefore, Gyeongsang-do Province is ambitiously pushing to build a "Korean Peninsula economic backbone." The project is meaningful because it will bind the territory's economic belt in order to arrange a new growth power.

For this purpose, Gyeongsangnam-do Province plans to establish a metropolitan economic alliance with both Chungcheongnam-do and Chungcheongbuk-do Provinces, with Daejeon City and with Sejong City. The people have now arrived in a new era where the separation between the capital city and local provinces has become meaningless. Andong lies at the center of these drastic changes undergoing in Gyeongsangbuk-do Province in the 21st century.



By Wi Tack-whan, Son Gi-na
Korea.net Staff Writers
Photos: Gyeongsangbuk-do Provincial Government, Wi Tack-whan
whan23@korea.kr