Young visitors view "Daedongyeojido," a landmark 19th-century map of the Korean Peninsula made by cartographer Kim Jeong-ho, displayed in the main hallway of the National Museum of Korea in central Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap
“Daedongyeojido” is a landmark 19th-century map of the Korean Peninsula created by cartographer Kim Jeong-ho.
Completed in 1861 during the late Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), it was designed as a folding atlas divided into 22 accordion-style panels for portability. When joined together, the panels form a national map measuring approximately 6.7 meters in height and 3.8 meters in width.
Regarded as the quintessential portrait of 19th-century Joseon, “Daedongyeojido” is celebrated for its cartographic precision. Mountain ranges and waterways are rendered in meticulous detail, while evenly spaced dots along the roads allow viewers to gauge actual distances. The map also incorporates a system of symbols denoting administrative centers, military facilities, transportation routes and economic hubs.
The National Museum of Korea in central Seoul unveiled the artifact in its fully unfolded form in the building’s main hallway on Thursday, printing high-resolution images from its collection onto hanji (traditional Korean paper).
Installed along the passageway, the display allows visitors to encounter the map’s sweeping scale up close as they move through the space.
You Hong-june, director-general of the National Museum of Korea, speaks during the unveiling ceremony for "Daedongyeojido" at the museum, Thursday. Newsis
A close-up view of "Daedongyeojido," centered on Hanyang, now Seoul, highlights its intricate rendering of mountains and waterways. Newsis
A visitor leans in to examine the details of "Daedongyeojido" at the National Museum of Korea, Thursday. Newsis
Source: Korea Times News
