Joseon Dynasty’s weapon factory Beonsachang site found in Seoul

Joseon Dynasty’s weapon factory Beonsachang site found in Seoul. June. 12, 2015 07:23. hic@donga.com.

There is a Chinese-style brick house inside the grounds of the Korean Banking Institute in Samcheong-ro, Seoul. The building is called Beonsachang, a modern weapon factory affiliated with the Arsenal Bureau "Gigiguk" that produced modern weapons at the end of the Joseon Dynasty. Established in 1884, the weapon factory has been a symbol of strong dedication and commitment of Korean ancestors who wanted to grow the dynasty’s power in the midst of growing pressure from Japan and other Western powers. In 1982, Beonsachang was designated as Tangible Cultural Asset No. 51 by the Seoul city government.

A "twin site" of the Beonsachang was found. The other Beonsachang seems to have been far larger than the intact one. According to Seoul City on June 11, the old factory site was found while the institute was investigating the ground to find buried cultural assets as a part of efforts to build a dormitory next to the current Beonsachang. The site was confirmed as a building related to Beonsachang by investigation of the Cultural Heritage Administration and Seoul City experts.

Beonsachang, which symbolized the strong will for self-reliant national defense at the end of the Joseon dynasty, had been used as a virus and animal laboratory during the Japanese colonial era.