Geumcheon-gu

In the southwest corner of Seoul, nestled against the Anyang River and the slopes of Gwanak Mountain, lies Geumcheon-gu. Geumcheon-gu’s story begins long before its official designation as a district in 1995. The area boasts a rich history, stretching back to the Three Kingdoms Period. Initially, it was likely under Baekje rule, later becoming part of Goguryeo, known as Ingbeolno Prefecture, meaning “extending land” or “wide field”. Geumcheon-gu, under Silla rule, became Gokyang-hyeon in 757. The Goryeo Dynasty renamed it Geum-ju in 940, introducing “geum,” meaning “collar,” into its name. The Joseon Dynasty further refined its name to Geumcheon-hyeon in 1413. This name held for over 380 years. Then, it transformed into Siheung-hyeon in 1795. The original jurisdiction of Geumcheon-hyeon was expansive. It encompassed areas now belonging to Gwacheon, Bupyeong, Ansan, and even parts of Seoul north to Nodeulnaru. Records from the late Joseon Dynasty show Geumcheon-hyeon had a population of 7,763 people across 1,873 households. It was divided into six myeon and 39 dong and ri. Geumcheon-gu’s evolution continued. It became Siheung-gun in 1895, covering modern-day Geumcheon-gu, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Dongjak-gu, Gwanak-gu, Anyang-si, and Gwangmyeong-si, with its office in present-day Siheung-dong. The county office moved to Yeongdeungpo in 1910, and the area eventually became part of Gyeongseong-bu in 1936. The Geumcheon area became part of Guro-gu after 1963 due to Seoul’s administrative expansion. Geumcheon-gu was finally established as its own district in 1995, incorporating Doksan-dong, Siheung-dong, and parts of Garibong-dong, now known as Gasan-dong. Today, Geumcheon-gu is a hub for technology companies, with several major headquarters residing within its borders. The Gyeongbu railway and Seoul Subway Lines 1 and 7 pass through Geumcheon-gu, connecting it to the rest of the city and beyond. This district, once a vast expanse of farmland, stands as a testament to Seoul’s continuous growth and evolution.