Bongha Village

Bongha Village takes its name from its location beneath the Bonghwasan beacon mound.

The late President Roh Moo-hyun was born in the house next to his later residence here and spent his childhood in the village. As a boy, he walked over an hour each way to elementary and middle school in town; aside from his high school years in Busan and his military service, he spent his early married life and his bar-exam study years here too. After leaving the presidency, he returned to live in Bongha Village once again.

Most residents have lived here for generations and carry memories tied to the president. He dreamed of passing on the same living ecosystem he'd known as a child — catching frogs and crayfish — to the next generation, and the fields and stream around the village were restored using eco-friendly farming methods in keeping with that wish.

Rather than a flashy attraction, it feels more like a modest hometown where a leader's roots and the memories of those who knew him quietly remain.