Hello? Testing, testing. Hello? Can you hear me? Haha. This is my first time as a guide, so it feels a bit awkward.

Welcome to Jongno Modern Street, everyone. It is my pleasure to be your guide for the first tour course. I’m originally from Gangwon-do, and I studied in Busan, so my way of speaking might have a bit of a rustic flavor, but I hope you can bear with it.

I'm Choi Gyusik, Chief of Police at Jongno Police Station. Did you know that in January 1968, a North Korean special force attempted to attack Cheong Wa Dae? It is known as the Kim Sinjo Incident in South Korea. You might have heard it from the news. At the time, I was responsible for containing them at Jongno Police Station during that incident.

This tour course is titled 〈-gil,〉 because it has a lot to do with the January 21st Incident that took place on January 21, 1968. It was an incident where 31 armed communist guerrillas sent from North Korea attempted to cross the military demarcation line (MDL) and attack Cheong Wa Dae. Fortunately, it ended in failure, but nevertheless, it shocked the nation at the time and triggered some significant changes in South Korea.

One of them was a change of the law that required any Korean over 17 to carry an ID card called the Resident Registration Card. And the reserve forces system, which requires individuals to undergo military training again after completing their mandatory military service, was also introduced after this incident. Most importantly, it brought back memories of the tragedy of the Korean War, which began on June 25th. During the war, many Koreans had to flee across the Han River to escape North Korean attacks. As industrialization progressed, and the population in the northern part of Seoul, Gangbuk, increased rapidly, the government made efforts to develop Gangnam starting in 1963, but progress was slow. Leaving a familiar place is not easy, after all. However, the incident served as a catalyst for substantial development in Gangnam, accelerating its growth. The increased awareness of North Korean aggression led to a shift in people's attitudes, and plans were implemented.

Well, I guess it's hard to view the January 21st Incident as just an event involving a few dozen armed communist guerrillas infiltrating. I'll provide more details related to this as we continue. Now, let's begin our journey.

Before you stands a neat yet elegant pavilion, Segeomjeong. While this place isn't a 'modern,' contemporary space, there are several reasons why I chose Segeomjeong as the starting point for the first leg of our journey.

The first reason is the beautiful scenery of Segeomjeong. It's still beautiful today, but during the Joseon period, it was a place frequented by many scholars called ‘seonbi’, including the renowned Confucian scholar Jeong Yagyong. In the past, the layout was a bit different, with a courtyard on the side where the road is now, so Segeomjeong must have had an even more delightful ambiance. The second reason is that the name of this pavilion, Segeomjeong, is related to today's journey. The name, 'Sword-Washed Pavilion,' originates from the fact that key figures of the Injo Restoration, which dethroned Prince Gwanghae and established King Injo, made their oath here before entering the capital city. As such, Segeomjeong has its origins in a coup event, symbolizing the gateway to Hanyang. During the 1.21 Incident, armed communist guerrillas were also found in this area at that time.

My introduction and explanation did get a bit lengthy, didn't they? Well then, let's proceed to the next location. Shall we take a short walk along the road next to us, ''Segeomjeong-ro'?