Former President Moon Jae-in's birthplace slated for restoration
![Area near former President Moon Jae-in’s birthplace in Geoje-myeon, Geoje, South Gyeongsang. [JOONGANG ILBO]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/06/05/89b3ae16-2a26-41ce-be24-2700c9f519ad.jpg)
Area near former President Moon Jae-in’s birthplace in Geoje-myeon, Geoje, South Gyeongsang. [JOONGANG ILBO]
According to the city on Thursday, officials posted a public notice on April 26 outlining compensation plans related to the restoration of Moon’s birthplace.
The site is located at 694-1 Myeongjin-ri, Geoje-myeon, and includes two adjacent parcels — 694-2 and 694-6 — totaling 953 square meters (10,258 square feet) across three plots.
The birthplace and the two adjacent plots have different owners. The city plans to purchase the two neighboring plots, which recently went up for sale, through appraisal and compensation assessment within the year.
For the main birthplace site, which has a separate owner, the city intends to enter negotiations. If the compensation process proceeds smoothly, funds will be included in the city’s supplementary budget in the latter half of the year.
![Area near former President Moon Jae-in’s birthplace in Geoje-myeon, Geoje, South Gyeongsang. [JOONGANG ILBO]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/06/05/792cb21c-4356-4379-a244-2e677d8e5730.jpg)
Area near former President Moon Jae-in’s birthplace in Geoje-myeon, Geoje, South Gyeongsang. [JOONGANG ILBO]
However, no concrete details of the plan for restoring Moon’s birthplace have been confirmed. The city is considering long-term plans to develop the area as a tourism resource linked with Jeodo Island — home to a presidential villa — and the birthplace of late President Kim Young-sam.
![Area near former President Moon Jae-in’s birthplace in Geoje-myeon, Geoje, South Gyeongsang. [JOONGANG ILBO]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/06/05/24d8e36f-a03c-4bba-819f-cc0ae58d1a16.jpg)
Area near former President Moon Jae-in’s birthplace in Geoje-myeon, Geoje, South Gyeongsang. [JOONGANG ILBO]
Former President Moon was born in January 1953 in Myeongjin-ri, Geoje-myeon, and lived there until he was 6 years old before moving to Busan.
After Moon’s election, the region briefly gained popularity as a tourist attraction. However, because the land is privately owned and the Blue House during Moon’s administration requested that no discussions regarding the site take place, no development efforts were made.
![Statue of former President Kim Young-sam, left, and life-sized cutouts of him and his wife inside his birthplace. [JOONGANG ILBO]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/06/05/27577a97-5c76-44b1-83f4-2579bfabe5e2.jpg)
Statue of former President Kim Young-sam, left, and life-sized cutouts of him and his wife inside his birthplace. [JOONGANG ILBO]
![Satellite map of former President Moon Jae-in’s birthplace on Geoje Island. [JOONGANG ILBO]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/06/05/b84b173d-df3e-4aed-a90c-9be364311d9e.jpg)
Satellite map of former President Moon Jae-in’s birthplace on Geoje Island. [JOONGANG ILBO]
“We are drafting plans to connect former President Moon’s birthplace with Kim Young-sam’s birthplace and the presidential villa on Jeodo,” said a city official.
![Area near former President Moon Jae-in’s birthplace in Geoje-myeon, Geoje, South Gyeongsang, with signs reading “Private Residence” and “No Entry.” [JOONGANG ILBO]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/06/05/717c78f0-0039-434c-b79b-cb432f851578.jpg)
Area near former President Moon Jae-in’s birthplace in Geoje-myeon, Geoje, South Gyeongsang, with signs reading “Private Residence” and “No Entry.” [JOONGANG ILBO]
Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY HAN YOUNG-HYE [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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