Yeoju-si

Prehistoric Age

Remains of the Paleolithic Age were found in Danhyeon-ri Yeoju-eup, Yeonyang-ri Yeoju-eup, and Naeyang-ri
Neungseo-myeon, and the Heunam-ri Prehistoric Settlement site is famous for its remains of the Bronze Age.
Yeoju was among one of the important historical locations together with Goguryeo and Dongye for the Mahan·Baekje Era, and thus many historic remains exist including Ipo, Sulcheonseong, Maeryong-ri Ancient Tombs, etc.
Golnaegeun-hyeon was established in the Yeoju area and Sulcheon-gun in the Ipo area 475 years after Goguryeo’s southward movement (the 63rd Year of King Jangsu); they were renamed Hwanghyo-hyeon and Kicheon-gun respectively 757 years after unification of the three nations (the 16th Year of King Gyeongduk).

Goryeo

Hwanghyo-hyeon was renamed Hwangryeo-hyeon in 940 (the 23rd Year of King Taejo) and Gicheon-gun was renamed Cheonnyeong-gun in 995 (the 14th Year of King Seongjong). Hwangryeo-hyeon was renamed Youngui in 1257 (the 44th Year of King Gojong) and promoted to Yeoheung-gun in 1305 (the 31st Year of Choongryeol).
It was then promoted to Hwangryeo-bu in 1388 (the 14th Year of King Woo), bu downgraded to Yeoheung-gun in 1389 (the 1st Year of King Gongyang).

Joseon

In 1401 (the 1st Year of King Taejong), it was repromoted to a ‘bu’ and Eumjuk-hyeon’s Eoeseoi-chon merged with Yeoheung-gun. In 1413 (the 13th Year of King Taejong), Hwagryeo-bu and Cheonnyeong-gun were reorganized into Yeoheungdo-bu and Cheonnyeong-hyeon respectively. In 1469 (the 1st Year of King Yejong), when the Royal Shrine of King Sejong was moved to Mt. Bukseongsa, Yeoheungdo-bu was promoted to Yeoju-mok, and Cheonnyeong-hyeon merged with Yeoju-mok. In 1499 (the 19th Year of King Seongjong), the old Cheonnyeong-hyeon’s residents requested independence and were refused.

Recent and Contemporary History

In 1895 (the 32nd Year of King Gojong), Yeoju-mok was reorganized into a ‘gun’, according to the enactment of the ‘23-bu System’ and was brought under the control of Chungju-bu, which also included Gangcheon-myeon, Wonju-gun.
In 1896, it belonged once again to Gyeonggi-do following the enactment of the ‘13-do System’ and became a 3rd grade ‘gun’. In 1914, 15 myeons were reduced to 9 myeons, and Yeoju-myeon was established focusing on Junae-myeon and including part of Geungdong-myeon and Sugye-myeon.
Yeoju-myeon was promoted to Yeoju-eup in 1941 and Gaegun-myeon merged into Yangpyeong-gun in 1963.
The Sanbuk branch was established in Geumsa-myeon in 1970, but promoted to the independent Sanbuk-myeon in 1989.
The Ohak branch was established in 1992 and the present system of ‘1 eup, 9 myeon and 1 branch’ was complete.