Gaze upon Daedeok-dong now. You are standing in a place with a history stretching back to the Paleolithic Age. Stone tools were found at the Yongho-dong site here. These tools suggest people lived here 100000 years ago.
Daedeok-dong is part of the larger Daedeok District in Daejeon. KT&G and Korea Ginseng Corporation have their headquarters here. You will also find Korea Water Resources and the Daejeon Logistics Terminal.
Let’s delve deeper into Daedeok-dong’s past. During the Three Kingdoms period, this area was Usul-gun. It included Hoedeok-dong. Usul-fortress is a remnant of that time. It was designated a city monument in 1989.
Legend says Gyejoksan Mountain in Daedeok-dong cries during droughts. This makes rain come. That legend led to the name “beak-dal-san” meaning “rainy peak.”
In Unified Silla times, Usul-gun became Bipung-gun. Later under the Goryeo dynasty, Bipung-gun was renamed Hoedeok-hyeon.
During the Joseon period, Hoedeok-hyeon became Hoedeok-gun. The central part of Daejeon was then a small village. It was part of Gongju. The name “Daejeon,” meaning “Great Fields,” appeared in records then.
In 1914, Hoedeok County and Jinjam County merged. Yuseong-myeon of Gongju County joined them. They formed Daejeon County. If Hoedeok County had been chosen, we might be in Hoedeok Metropolitan City today.
In 1963, Daejeon expanded. It incorporated Yucheon-myeon of Daedeok-gun. Parts of Sannae and Hoedeok-myeon were included too.
Daedeok-gun was split in 1983. In 1989, Daedeok-gun was abolished. Daejeon became a Directly Governed City. Daedeok District then separated from Dong-gu.
Daejeon hosted the Expo 1993. The mascot “Kumdori” became famous. After the Expo, the site became Expo Science Park.
Today, Daedeok-dong is a vital part of Daejeon. It is a center for research and business. It blends ancient history with modern innovation.