The existing lot number based addressing system that has been used since 1910 will be modified to a street name and building number based addressing system in accordance with the “Law on Representation of Road Name System” starting from April 5.
In order to eliminate confusion to area residents in advance, Gyeonggi Province will hold events for those coming to the Cherry Blossom Festival from April 5 to 12 to give residents the new addresses they need to know, including their homes, schools, and workplaces, and will also distribute maps with new addresses indicated.
In addition, information regarding the new addresses can be accessed via the Internet (www.juso.go.kr). Both new addresses and old will be used during a phase-in period until 2011, after which only new addresses can be used.
The new addressing system is similar to addressing systems that are used around the world, which will modify the current lot number based addressing system into a street name and building number based addressing system. The lot number based addressing system was adopted during the Japanese colonization of Korea through the Land Investigation Project, and due to the dramatic urbanization that has taken place recently, it can no longer serve to provide adequate location information. Thus, the new addressing system was adopted, to enable people to easily find their destinations simply by knowing the street name and building number.
Gyeonggi Province completed the first pilot test in Anyang City in March 1997, a second pilot test in Ansan City in 1998, pilot tests in 17 regions including Suwon, Bucheon, Icheon, Hanam, and Euijeongbu, and plans to complete pilot tests in 25 regions within this year, including 8 major regions such as Yong-in, Gimpo, Paju, and Yeoncheon.
In addition, Gyeonggi Province plans to complete pilot test in Pyeongtaek, Hwaseong, and Anseong by 2008, and in Namyangju, Yangpyeong, and Gapyeong by 2009.
Gyeonggi Province has initiated the new address project, endowed 22,355 new street names, and installed 40,968 street nameplates and 484,919 building number plates.
In order to help the new address system to take root, Gyeonggi Province created and distributed 2.4 million copies of a street name guide map, launched an Internet service to offer street name information for 21 cities and counties including Suwon City, and promoted street name addresses by sending out 3.9 million notices.
A Gyeonggi Province official said, “As the Law on Representation of Road Name System has been in effect since April 5, 2007, we will notify and announce the information to residents in the 17 regions where testing has been completed, and then collect the opinions of residents before finalizing the new addresses by August.”