{"content_id":"eouqa1kpw6","slug":"busan-wartime-capital-1023-days-relief-heritage","locale":"en","schema_type":"Article","category":"knowledge_base","category_name":"Knowledge Base","title":"Busan's Wartime Capital Heritage: 1023 Days and Relief","summary":"Busan served twice as a refuge capital during the Korean War, continuing government operations and relief for refugees. The 1023-day period used in official descriptions is distinct from questions about how it is calculated. Its significance is explained through relief documents and the relationships among government offices, docks, and refugee housing.","sponsorship_disclosure":null,"affiliate_disclosure":null,"commerce_disclosure":null,"author":{"name":"Injoys Editorial Team","url":"https://injoys.com/ko/about"},"key_points":["Busan became a refuge capital on August 18, 1950, after the government moved via Daejeon and Daegu.","The 1023-day figure in official descriptions refers to the two periods when Busan served as a refuge capital, separated by the return to Seoul.","A 1950 circular on dispersing refugees assigned shelter, food, transport, and public health duties to different ministries.","The quantities of relief supplies scheduled to arrive and those that actually arrived, along with distribution plans, must be distinguished from the amounts refugees actually received.","The Temporary Central Government Building, Busan Port Pier 1, and refugee housing show different aspects of government operations and life in refuge."],"content_markdown":"Busan’s wartime capital heritage preserves traces of how the government and refugees endured the Korean War in Busan. From August 1950, they used existing government buildings and the port to continue administration and relief work. The 1023 days refer to two periods when Busan served as the wartime capital, and the heritage keeps memories of life during those years alive.\n\nThis article follows the National Archives of Korea’s 1950 relief records, checked in October 2026.\n\n## Why Busan became the wartime capital\n\nBusan had the facilities and port that the government, having moved south, needed to continue its work. The Korean War began with North Korea’s invasion on June 25, 1950. The government left Seoul and moved to Daejeon and Daegu. Busan became the wartime capital on **August 18, 1950**.\n\nIts southern location alone was not enough for Busan to function as a capital. It had existing administrative facilities that government ministries could use. Its port was an entry point for troops and relief supplies from abroad. Busan City cites these conditions as reasons for the government’s move. [Busan City: The Korean War and Busan](https://www.busan.go.kr/wartime_capital/warcapital)\n\nThe southward movement of refugees was straining reception capacity even before the move to Busan. A July 1950 circular addressed the concentration of refugees in Daejeon. In Busan, too, existing housing and infrastructure could not easily accommodate the incoming population. Immediate survival depended on several connected needs.\n\n- A place to stay: securing reception facilities and temporary shelter\n- Food: connecting food supplies with meal services\n- Transport and health: maintaining refugee transport and public health work\n\n## Busan’s 1023 days as wartime capital and the gap during the return to Seoul\n\nThe 1023 days do not mean Busan was continuously the capital. Busan served as the capital twice, with a period between them when the government returned to Seoul. Returning to the capital means the government goes back to its original capital. The recapture of Seoul and the government’s return there did not happen on the same date.\n\n| Date or period | What happened | Source |\n|---|---|---|\n| June 25, 1950 | Korean War began | National Archives of Korea online exhibition |\n| July 10, 1950 | Directive to disperse refugees issued by circular | National Archives of Korea record description of the circular |\n| August 18, 1950 | Busan’s first period as wartime capital began | Busan City: The Korean War and Busan |\n| September 1950 | Seoul recaptured | Kookje Shinmun historical account of the wartime capital |\n| October 27, 1950 | Government returned to Seoul | Kookje Shinmun historical account of the wartime capital |\n| January 1951 | Government moved to Busan again as the military situation worsened | UNESCO Tentative List description and Kookje Shinmun account |\n| July 27, 1953 | Armistice Agreement signed | National Archives of Korea online exhibition |\n| August 15, 1953 | Government returned to Seoul again | Kookje Shinmun historical account of the wartime capital |\n\nThe first turning point was the government’s return after Seoul was recaptured. As the military situation worsened again following Chinese forces’ entry into the war, the government returned to Busan. It moved back to Seoul after the Armistice Agreement was signed. The periods when Busan served as wartime capital therefore differ from the period when fighting continued.\n\nThe 2023 UNESCO Tentative List description gives the first period as August 18 to October 26, 1950. It gives the second as January 4, 1951, to August 14, 1953. The description presents the two periods together as 1023 days. [UNESCO Tentative List description](https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/6668/)\n\nThere are, however, different accounts of the precise dates and day count. A 2022 Kookje Shinmun account gives January 3 as the start of the second period. It argues that accounting for the leap year brings the total to 1025 days. This article uses the official description’s 1023 days without treating the calculation as settled. [Kookje Shinmun historical account of the wartime capital](https://v.daum.net/v/E00WXqXEAC)\n\n## What did wartime relief involve?\n\nWartime relief supported the daily lives of people affected by the war. In this context, relief means practical assistance with living needs, not a slogan. In the records, *war victims* refers to people harmed by the war. Reception, meal services, transport, and public health were interconnected administrative tasks.\n\n### How the refugee dispersal circular divided work among ministries\n\nA 1950 circular assigned refugee dispersal tasks to the relevant ministries. The document is titled “Circular on the Dispersal of Refugees.” Instructions dated July 10 appeared in issue No. 384 of the official gazette on July 20. They were addressed to the governors of the provinces in the Chungcheong, Jeolla, and Gyeongsang regions.\n\n| Ministry responsible | Tasks listed in the circular |\n|---|---|\n| Ministry of Social Affairs | Reception facilities, certificate issuance, escorting refugees, reception, meal services, accounting |\n| Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry | Food supply |\n| Ministry of National Defense and Ministry of Home Affairs | Cooperation on identity checks and certificate issuance, escorting refugees, security |\n| Ministry of Transportation | Free transport for holders of refugee certificates |\n| Ministry of Health | Refugee public health work |\n\nThis was not a relief plan for Busan alone. It was an instruction to disperse refugees across several provinces before Busan became the wartime capital. Transport was also conditional on having a certificate. The document should therefore not be read as guaranteeing all refugees freedom of movement. [National Archives of Korea record description of the circular](https://theme.archives.go.kr/next/625/records/recordDetail.do?flag=5\u0026page=3\u0026searchKey=\u0026searchTxt=\u0026seq=1008)\n\n### Relief committees and the distribution of aid supplies\n\nAn overview report by the Ministry of Social Affairs shows cooperation between the Korean government and international aid organizations. Its full title is “Overview Report on Relief Policies for Korean War Victims and Refugees.” The ministry submitted it to the prime minister on December 14, 1950. The original document mentions a Central Relief Committee and local relief committees.\n\nThe central committee discussed relief issues. Local committees supported distribution in their areas. The report also includes a table of incoming aid supplies. The National Archives of Korea’s record description notes the existence of a regional distribution plan as well. [National Archives of Korea description of the relief report](https://theme.archives.go.kr/next/625/records/recordDetail.do?flag=\u0026page=7\u0026searchKey=\u0026searchTxt=\u0026seq=1007), [National Archives of Korea online exhibition](https://artsandculture.google.com/story/tgVB5KsC_5i-EQ?hl=ko)\n\n## The difference between supplies arriving at the port and being distributed\n\nThe arrival of aid supplies did not mean refugees had received them. The table of incoming supplies, dated December 14, 1950, distinguishes expected quantities from quantities that had arrived. The expected quantity of tents was 1,050. The quantity recorded as already having arrived was **50**.\n\n| Item in the records | What it establishes | What it cannot establish on its own |\n|---|---|---|\n| Expected incoming quantity | Amount expected to arrive | Whether all of it arrived as planned |\n| Quantity already arrived | Amount received by the reference date | Whether all items were usable |\n| Regional distribution plan | Which areas were intended to receive supplies | Whether they were delivered as planned |\n| Actual issue and receipt records | Quantity issued or receipt of supplies | Results in other areas and across the entire period |\n\nThe tent count translates the original document’s unit, “Pieces,” as individual tents. A note in the table also says they were in use in Busan. But these figures cannot be used to calculate the number of people accommodated or the amount of support per household. Separate records of facility operations and supplies issued would be needed. [National Archives of Korea online exhibition containing images of the original document](https://artsandculture.google.com/story/tgVB5KsC_5i-EQ?hl=ko)\n\nBusan Port Pier 1 was a logistics site within this relief system. Refugees and international aid supplies, among other things, entered through it. Port work also gave refugees a way to earn a living. There is, however, no basis for attributing all quantities in the nationwide table of incoming supplies to Pier 1. [UNESCO Tentative List description of Pier 1](https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/6668/)\n\n## The roles of the Temporary Central Government Complex, refugee schools, and temporary housing\n\nGovernment work and refugee life continued by adapting existing spaces. The Temporary Central Government Complex had originally been the Gyeongsangnam-do Provincial Government building. Government ministries that moved to Busan used its administrative facilities. Work to develop and carry out refugee policies also took place there. [Busan City description of the Temporary Central Government Complex](https://www.busan.go.kr/wartime_capital/busanheritage02)\n\n| Space | Prewar use or conditions | Use while Busan was wartime capital | History it illustrates |\n|---|---|---|---|\n| Temporary Central Government Complex | Gyeongsangnam-do Provincial Government | Workspace for central government ministries | Continuity of administration |\n| Beaches, hillsides, sports grounds, and other spaces | Open areas outside school buildings | Tent-based refugee schools | Continuity of education |\n| Ami-dong Tombstone Refugee Housing | Site of a Japanese cemetery | Temporary shelter using cemetery structures | Housing shortages and the creation of living space |\n| Uam-dong Cowshed Refugee Housing | Barracks at a cattle quarantine facility | Divided interiors used as refugee living space | Conversion of existing buildings into housing |\n\nRefugee schools kept classes going when school buildings were scarce. Busan City’s account describes elementary, middle, and high schools operating in tents. The Wartime Union University provided education for displaced university students. Continuing education was another wartime function the city carried out. [Busan City: The Korean War and Busan](https://www.busan.go.kr/wartime_capital/warcapital)\n\nIn Ami-dong, remaining cemetery structures were used to make shelters. In Uam-dong, cattle sheds were divided into living spaces. The two areas show different ways refugees secured housing. It would be inaccurate to describe them all as homes newly built and supplied by the government. [Busan City description of Ami-dong](https://www.busan.go.kr/wartime_capital/busanheritage08), [Busan City description of Uam-dong](https://www.busan.go.kr/wartime_capital/busanheritage09)\n\n## Refugee life continued after the return to Seoul\n\nThe government’s return to Seoul did not mark the end of refugee life. The period when government buildings served as part of the capital differed from the period when residents lived in these areas. Ami-dong and Uam-dong remained residential areas after the war. Temporary shelters became lasting parts of the city’s living space.\n\nA 2021 study by Park Hee-kyung and Lee Jun-young divides Ami-dong’s development into several periods. Its residents included not only wartime refugees but also people who returned after liberation and later migrants. That is why the entire present-day neighborhood cannot be treated as a picture of one moment in the refugee period. Traces of the war must be read alongside later changes to its housing. [Park Hee-kyung and Lee Jun-young’s study of Ami-dong](https://www.kci.go.kr/kciportal/landing/article.kci?arti_id=ART002687277)\n\nGovernment functions were maintained, but housing problems were not all resolved. The existence of relief organizations did not mean living conditions had become secure. Looking at government buildings and temporary housing together makes it possible to distinguish achievements from limitations.\n\n## Records and interpretation\n\nAdministrative records from the time and later accounts of the heritage answer different questions. The circular shows which agencies were responsible and what they were instructed to do. The report describes the organizations and the state of supplies. Research and heritage accounts interpret the historical meaning of those records.\n\n### What contemporary records establish\n\nRelief documents show how tasks were divided and how aid was coordinated. The table of incoming supplies shows the status of supplies on a particular date. The distribution plan shows how supplies were intended to be allocated. These materials alone cannot reconstruct the lives of all refugees.\n\n### Interpretations offered by research\n\nResearch on the wartime capital treats residents’ responses, as well as government actions, as part of its history. A 2021 study by Cha Cheol-wook focuses on how residents changed their living spaces. Park Hee-kyung and Lee Jun-young analyze how facilities from the colonial period became residential areas. Neither study confines these neighborhoods to a single wartime scene. [Cha Cheol-wook’s study of residents’ lived experiences](https://pncc.pusan.ac.kr/bbs/pncc/12024/730590/download.do), [Park Hee-kyung and Lee Jun-young’s study of heritage use](https://www.kci.go.kr/kciportal/landing/article.kci?arti_id=ART002687277)\n\n### Questions that still need checking\n\nCalculating the duration requires distinguishing the reference dates for the government’s movements. The official description’s 1023 days and the 1025-day calculation noted above are an example. Actual ministry moves must also be distinguished from announcements of the return to the capital. A single account cannot be taken as evidence of a consensus across scholarship.\n\nRelief outcomes also need further checking. How much of the arriving supplies reached which people is a separate question. Answering it requires comparing regional issue records with receipt records. Estimates should not be used to fill the gaps between plans and results.\n\n## Why preserve this heritage today?\n\nGovernment buildings, the pier, and residential areas together show how the city functioned during the war. Busan City describes the continuation of government, refugee life, and international cooperation as the heritage’s core functions. Serial heritage brings separate places together through their shared value. Busan City’s description, checked in October 2026, lists 11 sites. [Busan City explanation of the heritage’s World Heritage value](https://www.busan.go.kr/wartime_capital/busanheritage00)\n\n- Places of administration and observation: Gyeongmudae, Temporary Central Government Complex, National Central Meteorological Observatory\n- Places of international cooperation, transport, and remembrance: U.S. Embassy and U.S. Information Service, Busan Port Pier 1, Camp Hialeah, United Nations Memorial Cemetery\n- Places of housing and urban life: Ami-dong Tombstone Refugee Housing, Uam-dong Cowshed Refugee Housing, Yeongdo Bridge, Bokbyeongsan Reservoir\n\nThese groupings help explain the role of each place. No place served only one function. Pier 1 was both an entry point for international aid and a place where people earned a living.\n\nThe effort to gain World Heritage status must also be distinguished from final inscription. The 2023 UNESCO Tentative List description includes 9 component sites. When the site was selected for the domestic Priority List in November 2025, Busan City described 11 sites. That grouping adds Yeongdo Bridge and Bokbyeongsan Reservoir. [UNESCO Tentative List](https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/6668/), [Busan City explanation of the Priority List selection](https://www.busan.go.kr/news/snsbusan05/view?curPage=7\u0026dataNo=72123)\n\nSelection for the Priority List is not itself final UNESCO inscription. Nor does the heritage’s historical significance depend solely on inscription. The government complex shows the continuity of administration, while the pier shows the movement of people and supplies. The residential areas preserve traces of how refugees made and adapted living spaces.\n\n## Frequently asked questions\n\n### Was Busan the capital throughout the Korean War?\n\nNo. Busan’s time as wartime capital was divided into two periods. There was a gap in autumn 1950 when the government returned to Seoul.\n\n### Is 1023 days a definitively settled calculation?\n\nIt is the figure used in descriptions by Busan City and on the UNESCO Tentative List. Another account argues that the start date and leap year make the total 1025 days. The official figure should be distinguished from verification of the precise day count.\n\n### Did the refugee dispersal circular instruct refugees to gather in Busan?\n\nNo. It was a July 1950 instruction to disperse refugees concentrated in Daejeon across several provinces. The document predates Busan’s designation as the wartime capital.\n\n### Did the arrival of relief supplies mean distribution was complete?\n\nNo. Arrival at the port, allocation to regions, and actual issue were separate stages. The table of incoming supplies alone cannot show how much each household received.\n\n### Were the Temporary Central Government Complex and the presidential residence the same place?\n\nNo. The Temporary Central Government Complex was the former Gyeongsangnam-do Provincial Government building used by government ministries. Gyeongmudae served as the president’s residence and workspace.\n\n### Why preserve government buildings and refugee housing together?\n\nThe buildings show how the state operated, while the housing shows how refugees lived. Including the pier also helps explain the connection between international aid and livelihoods.\n\n### Did the refugee housing disappear after the war?\n\nNot all of it. Ami-dong and Uam-dong remained residential areas after the war. Their buildings and living spaces continued to change.\n\n### Is Busan’s wartime capital heritage already a UNESCO World Heritage site?\n\nPlacement on the Tentative List and selection for the domestic Priority List are different from final inscription. Official materials checked in October 2026 describe it as being in the process of seeking inscription.","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eBusan’s wartime capital heritage preserves traces of how the government and refugees endured the Korean War in Busan. From August 1950, they used existing government buildings and the port to continue administration and relief work. The 1023 days refer to two periods when Busan served as the wartime capital, and the heritage keeps memories of life during those years alive.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis article follows the National Archives of Korea’s 1950 relief records, checked in October 2026.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#why-busan-became-the-wartime-capital\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"why-busan-became-the-wartime-capital\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eWhy Busan became the wartime capital\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBusan had the facilities and port that the government, having moved south, needed to continue its work. The Korean War began with North Korea’s invasion on June 25, 1950. The government left Seoul and moved to Daejeon and Daegu. Busan became the wartime capital on \u003cstrong\u003eAugust 18, 1950\u003c/strong\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIts southern location alone was not enough for Busan to function as a capital. It had existing administrative facilities that government ministries could use. Its port was an entry point for troops and relief supplies from abroad. Busan City cites these conditions as reasons for the government’s move. \u003ca href=\"https://www.busan.go.kr/wartime_capital/warcapital\"\u003eBusan City: The Korean War and Busan\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe southward movement of refugees was straining reception capacity even before the move to Busan. A July 1950 circular addressed the concentration of refugees in Daejeon. In Busan, too, existing housing and infrastructure could not easily accommodate the incoming population. Immediate survival depended on several connected needs.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA place to stay: securing reception facilities and temporary shelter\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFood: connecting food supplies with meal services\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTransport and health: maintaining refugee transport and public health work\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#busans-1023-days-as-wartime-capital-and-the-gap-during-the-return-to-seoul\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"busans-1023-days-as-wartime-capital-and-the-gap-during-the-return-to-seoul\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eBusan’s 1023 days as wartime capital and the gap during the return to Seoul\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 1023 days do not mean Busan was continuously the capital. Busan served as the capital twice, with a period between them when the government returned to Seoul. Returning to the capital means the government goes back to its original capital. The recapture of Seoul and the government’s return there did not happen on the same date.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"overflow-x-auto\"\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003cthead\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eDate or period\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eWhat happened\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eSource\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Date or period\"\u003eJune 25, 1950\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"What happened\"\u003eKorean War began\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Source\"\u003eNational Archives of Korea online exhibition\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Date or period\"\u003eJuly 10, 1950\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"What happened\"\u003eDirective to disperse refugees issued by circular\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Source\"\u003eNational Archives of Korea record description of the circular\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Date or period\"\u003eAugust 18, 1950\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"What happened\"\u003eBusan’s first period as wartime capital began\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Source\"\u003eBusan City: The Korean War and Busan\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Date or period\"\u003eSeptember 1950\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"What happened\"\u003eSeoul recaptured\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Source\"\u003eKookje Shinmun historical account of the wartime capital\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Date or period\"\u003eOctober 27, 1950\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"What happened\"\u003eGovernment returned to Seoul\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Source\"\u003eKookje Shinmun historical account of the wartime capital\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Date or period\"\u003eJanuary 1951\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"What happened\"\u003eGovernment moved to Busan again as the military situation worsened\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Source\"\u003eUNESCO Tentative List description and Kookje Shinmun account\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Date or period\"\u003eJuly 27, 1953\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"What happened\"\u003eArmistice Agreement signed\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Source\"\u003eNational Archives of Korea online exhibition\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Date or period\"\u003eAugust 15, 1953\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"What happened\"\u003eGovernment returned to Seoul again\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Source\"\u003eKookje Shinmun historical account of the wartime capital\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe first turning point was the government’s return after Seoul was recaptured. As the military situation worsened again following Chinese forces’ entry into the war, the government returned to Busan. It moved back to Seoul after the Armistice Agreement was signed. The periods when Busan served as wartime capital therefore differ from the period when fighting continued.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 2023 UNESCO Tentative List description gives the first period as August 18 to October 26, 1950. It gives the second as January 4, 1951, to August 14, 1953. The description presents the two periods together as 1023 days. \u003ca href=\"https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/6668/\"\u003eUNESCO Tentative List description\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are, however, different accounts of the precise dates and day count. A 2022 Kookje Shinmun account gives January 3 as the start of the second period. It argues that accounting for the leap year brings the total to 1025 days. This article uses the official description’s 1023 days without treating the calculation as settled. \u003ca href=\"https://v.daum.net/v/E00WXqXEAC\"\u003eKookje Shinmun historical account of the wartime capital\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#what-did-wartime-relief-involve\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"what-did-wartime-relief-involve\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eWhat did wartime relief involve?\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWartime relief supported the daily lives of people affected by the war. In this context, relief means practical assistance with living needs, not a slogan. In the records, \u003cem\u003ewar victims\u003c/em\u003e refers to people harmed by the war. Reception, meal services, transport, and public health were interconnected administrative tasks.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#how-the-refugee-dispersal-circular-divided-work-among-ministries\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"how-the-refugee-dispersal-circular-divided-work-among-ministries\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eHow the refugee dispersal circular divided work among ministries\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA 1950 circular assigned refugee dispersal tasks to the relevant ministries. The document is titled “Circular on the Dispersal of Refugees.” Instructions dated July 10 appeared in issue No. 384 of the official gazette on July 20. They were addressed to the governors of the provinces in the Chungcheong, Jeolla, and Gyeongsang regions.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"overflow-x-auto\"\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003cthead\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eMinistry responsible\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eTasks listed in the circular\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Ministry responsible\"\u003eMinistry of Social Affairs\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Tasks listed in the circular\"\u003eReception facilities, certificate issuance, escorting refugees, reception, meal services, accounting\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Ministry responsible\"\u003eMinistry of Agriculture and Forestry\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Tasks listed in the circular\"\u003eFood supply\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Ministry responsible\"\u003eMinistry of National Defense and Ministry of Home Affairs\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Tasks listed in the circular\"\u003eCooperation on identity checks and certificate issuance, escorting refugees, security\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Ministry responsible\"\u003eMinistry of Transportation\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Tasks listed in the circular\"\u003eFree transport for holders of refugee certificates\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Ministry responsible\"\u003eMinistry of Health\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Tasks listed in the circular\"\u003eRefugee public health work\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis was not a relief plan for Busan alone. It was an instruction to disperse refugees across several provinces before Busan became the wartime capital. Transport was also conditional on having a certificate. The document should therefore not be read as guaranteeing all refugees freedom of movement. \u003ca href=\"https://theme.archives.go.kr/next/625/records/recordDetail.do?flag=5\u0026amp;page=3\u0026amp;searchKey=\u0026amp;searchTxt=\u0026amp;seq=1008\"\u003eNational Archives of Korea record description of the circular\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#relief-committees-and-the-distribution-of-aid-supplies\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"relief-committees-and-the-distribution-of-aid-supplies\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eRelief committees and the distribution of aid supplies\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn overview report by the Ministry of Social Affairs shows cooperation between the Korean government and international aid organizations. Its full title is “Overview Report on Relief Policies for Korean War Victims and Refugees.” The ministry submitted it to the prime minister on December 14, 1950. The original document mentions a Central Relief Committee and local relief committees.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe central committee discussed relief issues. Local committees supported distribution in their areas. The report also includes a table of incoming aid supplies. The National Archives of Korea’s record description notes the existence of a regional distribution plan as well. \u003ca href=\"https://theme.archives.go.kr/next/625/records/recordDetail.do?flag=\u0026amp;page=7\u0026amp;searchKey=\u0026amp;searchTxt=\u0026amp;seq=1007\"\u003eNational Archives of Korea description of the relief report\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://artsandculture.google.com/story/tgVB5KsC_5i-EQ?hl=ko\"\u003eNational Archives of Korea online exhibition\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#the-difference-between-supplies-arriving-at-the-port-and-being-distributed\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"the-difference-between-supplies-arriving-at-the-port-and-being-distributed\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eThe difference between supplies arriving at the port and being distributed\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe arrival of aid supplies did not mean refugees had received them. The table of incoming supplies, dated December 14, 1950, distinguishes expected quantities from quantities that had arrived. The expected quantity of tents was 1,050. The quantity recorded as already having arrived was \u003cstrong\u003e50\u003c/strong\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"overflow-x-auto\"\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003cthead\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eItem in the records\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eWhat it establishes\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eWhat it cannot establish on its own\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Item in the records\"\u003eExpected incoming quantity\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"What it establishes\"\u003eAmount expected to arrive\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"What it cannot establish on its own\"\u003eWhether all of it arrived as planned\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Item in the records\"\u003eQuantity already arrived\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"What it establishes\"\u003eAmount received by the reference date\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"What it cannot establish on its own\"\u003eWhether all items were usable\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Item in the records\"\u003eRegional distribution plan\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"What it establishes\"\u003eWhich areas were intended to receive supplies\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"What it cannot establish on its own\"\u003eWhether they were delivered as planned\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Item in the records\"\u003eActual issue and receipt records\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"What it establishes\"\u003eQuantity issued or receipt of supplies\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"What it cannot establish on its own\"\u003eResults in other areas and across the entire period\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe tent count translates the original document’s unit, “Pieces,” as individual tents. A note in the table also says they were in use in Busan. But these figures cannot be used to calculate the number of people accommodated or the amount of support per household. Separate records of facility operations and supplies issued would be needed. \u003ca href=\"https://artsandculture.google.com/story/tgVB5KsC_5i-EQ?hl=ko\"\u003eNational Archives of Korea online exhibition containing images of the original document\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBusan Port Pier 1 was a logistics site within this relief system. Refugees and international aid supplies, among other things, entered through it. Port work also gave refugees a way to earn a living. There is, however, no basis for attributing all quantities in the nationwide table of incoming supplies to Pier 1. \u003ca href=\"https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/6668/\"\u003eUNESCO Tentative List description of Pier 1\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#the-roles-of-the-temporary-central-government-complex-refugee-schools-and-temporary-housing\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"the-roles-of-the-temporary-central-government-complex-refugee-schools-and-temporary-housing\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eThe roles of the Temporary Central Government Complex, refugee schools, and temporary housing\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGovernment work and refugee life continued by adapting existing spaces. The Temporary Central Government Complex had originally been the Gyeongsangnam-do Provincial Government building. Government ministries that moved to Busan used its administrative facilities. Work to develop and carry out refugee policies also took place there. \u003ca href=\"https://www.busan.go.kr/wartime_capital/busanheritage02\"\u003eBusan City description of the Temporary Central Government Complex\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"overflow-x-auto\"\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003cthead\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eSpace\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003ePrewar use or conditions\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eUse while Busan was wartime capital\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eHistory it illustrates\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Space\"\u003eTemporary Central Government Complex\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Prewar use or conditions\"\u003eGyeongsangnam-do Provincial Government\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Use while Busan was wartime capital\"\u003eWorkspace for central government ministries\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"History it illustrates\"\u003eContinuity of administration\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Space\"\u003eBeaches, hillsides, sports grounds, and other spaces\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Prewar use or conditions\"\u003eOpen areas outside school buildings\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Use while Busan was wartime capital\"\u003eTent-based refugee schools\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"History it illustrates\"\u003eContinuity of education\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Space\"\u003eAmi-dong Tombstone Refugee Housing\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Prewar use or conditions\"\u003eSite of a Japanese cemetery\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Use while Busan was wartime capital\"\u003eTemporary shelter using cemetery structures\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"History it illustrates\"\u003eHousing shortages and the creation of living space\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Space\"\u003eUam-dong Cowshed Refugee Housing\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Prewar use or conditions\"\u003eBarracks at a cattle quarantine facility\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Use while Busan was wartime capital\"\u003eDivided interiors used as refugee living space\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"History it illustrates\"\u003eConversion of existing buildings into housing\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRefugee schools kept classes going when school buildings were scarce. Busan City’s account describes elementary, middle, and high schools operating in tents. The Wartime Union University provided education for displaced university students. Continuing education was another wartime function the city carried out. \u003ca href=\"https://www.busan.go.kr/wartime_capital/warcapital\"\u003eBusan City: The Korean War and Busan\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn Ami-dong, remaining cemetery structures were used to make shelters. In Uam-dong, cattle sheds were divided into living spaces. The two areas show different ways refugees secured housing. It would be inaccurate to describe them all as homes newly built and supplied by the government. \u003ca href=\"https://www.busan.go.kr/wartime_capital/busanheritage08\"\u003eBusan City description of Ami-dong\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://www.busan.go.kr/wartime_capital/busanheritage09\"\u003eBusan City description of Uam-dong\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#refugee-life-continued-after-the-return-to-seoul\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"refugee-life-continued-after-the-return-to-seoul\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eRefugee life continued after the return to Seoul\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe government’s return to Seoul did not mark the end of refugee life. The period when government buildings served as part of the capital differed from the period when residents lived in these areas. Ami-dong and Uam-dong remained residential areas after the war. Temporary shelters became lasting parts of the city’s living space.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA 2021 study by Park Hee-kyung and Lee Jun-young divides Ami-dong’s development into several periods. Its residents included not only wartime refugees but also people who returned after liberation and later migrants. That is why the entire present-day neighborhood cannot be treated as a picture of one moment in the refugee period. Traces of the war must be read alongside later changes to its housing. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kci.go.kr/kciportal/landing/article.kci?arti_id=ART002687277\"\u003ePark Hee-kyung and Lee Jun-young’s study of Ami-dong\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGovernment functions were maintained, but housing problems were not all resolved. The existence of relief organizations did not mean living conditions had become secure. Looking at government buildings and temporary housing together makes it possible to distinguish achievements from limitations.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#records-and-interpretation\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"records-and-interpretation\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eRecords and interpretation\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAdministrative records from the time and later accounts of the heritage answer different questions. The circular shows which agencies were responsible and what they were instructed to do. The report describes the organizations and the state of supplies. Research and heritage accounts interpret the historical meaning of those records.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#what-contemporary-records-establish\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"what-contemporary-records-establish\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eWhat contemporary records establish\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRelief documents show how tasks were divided and how aid was coordinated. The table of incoming supplies shows the status of supplies on a particular date. The distribution plan shows how supplies were intended to be allocated. These materials alone cannot reconstruct the lives of all refugees.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#interpretations-offered-by-research\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"interpretations-offered-by-research\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eInterpretations offered by research\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eResearch on the wartime capital treats residents’ responses, as well as government actions, as part of its history. A 2021 study by Cha Cheol-wook focuses on how residents changed their living spaces. Park Hee-kyung and Lee Jun-young analyze how facilities from the colonial period became residential areas. Neither study confines these neighborhoods to a single wartime scene. \u003ca href=\"https://pncc.pusan.ac.kr/bbs/pncc/12024/730590/download.do\"\u003eCha Cheol-wook’s study of residents’ lived experiences\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kci.go.kr/kciportal/landing/article.kci?arti_id=ART002687277\"\u003ePark Hee-kyung and Lee Jun-young’s study of heritage use\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#questions-that-still-need-checking\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"questions-that-still-need-checking\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eQuestions that still need checking\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCalculating the duration requires distinguishing the reference dates for the government’s movements. The official description’s 1023 days and the 1025-day calculation noted above are an example. Actual ministry moves must also be distinguished from announcements of the return to the capital. A single account cannot be taken as evidence of a consensus across scholarship.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRelief outcomes also need further checking. How much of the arriving supplies reached which people is a separate question. Answering it requires comparing regional issue records with receipt records. Estimates should not be used to fill the gaps between plans and results.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#why-preserve-this-heritage-today\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"why-preserve-this-heritage-today\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eWhy preserve this heritage today?\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGovernment buildings, the pier, and residential areas together show how the city functioned during the war. Busan City describes the continuation of government, refugee life, and international cooperation as the heritage’s core functions. Serial heritage brings separate places together through their shared value. Busan City’s description, checked in October 2026, lists 11 sites. \u003ca href=\"https://www.busan.go.kr/wartime_capital/busanheritage00\"\u003eBusan City explanation of the heritage’s World Heritage value\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePlaces of administration and observation: Gyeongmudae, Temporary Central Government Complex, National Central Meteorological Observatory\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePlaces of international cooperation, transport, and remembrance: U.S. Embassy and U.S. Information Service, Busan Port Pier 1, Camp Hialeah, United Nations Memorial Cemetery\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePlaces of housing and urban life: Ami-dong Tombstone Refugee Housing, Uam-dong Cowshed Refugee Housing, Yeongdo Bridge, Bokbyeongsan Reservoir\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese groupings help explain the role of each place. No place served only one function. Pier 1 was both an entry point for international aid and a place where people earned a living.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe effort to gain World Heritage status must also be distinguished from final inscription. The 2023 UNESCO Tentative List description includes 9 component sites. When the site was selected for the domestic Priority List in November 2025, Busan City described 11 sites. That grouping adds Yeongdo Bridge and Bokbyeongsan Reservoir. \u003ca href=\"https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/6668/\"\u003eUNESCO Tentative List\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://www.busan.go.kr/news/snsbusan05/view?curPage=7\u0026amp;dataNo=72123\"\u003eBusan City explanation of the Priority List selection\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSelection for the Priority List is not itself final UNESCO inscription. Nor does the heritage’s historical significance depend solely on inscription. The government complex shows the continuity of administration, while the pier shows the movement of people and supplies. The residential areas preserve traces of how refugees made and adapted living spaces.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#frequently-asked-questions\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"frequently-asked-questions\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eFrequently asked questions\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#was-busan-the-capital-throughout-the-korean-war\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"was-busan-the-capital-throughout-the-korean-war\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eWas Busan the capital throughout the Korean War?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo. Busan’s time as wartime capital was divided into two periods. There was a gap in autumn 1950 when the government returned to Seoul.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#is-1023-days-a-definitively-settled-calculation\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"is-1023-days-a-definitively-settled-calculation\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eIs 1023 days a definitively settled calculation?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is the figure used in descriptions by Busan City and on the UNESCO Tentative List. Another account argues that the start date and leap year make the total 1025 days. The official figure should be distinguished from verification of the precise day count.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#did-the-refugee-dispersal-circular-instruct-refugees-to-gather-in-busan\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"did-the-refugee-dispersal-circular-instruct-refugees-to-gather-in-busan\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eDid the refugee dispersal circular instruct refugees to gather in Busan?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo. It was a July 1950 instruction to disperse refugees concentrated in Daejeon across several provinces. The document predates Busan’s designation as the wartime capital.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#did-the-arrival-of-relief-supplies-mean-distribution-was-complete\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"did-the-arrival-of-relief-supplies-mean-distribution-was-complete\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eDid the arrival of relief supplies mean distribution was complete?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo. Arrival at the port, allocation to regions, and actual issue were separate stages. The table of incoming supplies alone cannot show how much each household received.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#were-the-temporary-central-government-complex-and-the-presidential-residence-the-same-place\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"were-the-temporary-central-government-complex-and-the-presidential-residence-the-same-place\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eWere the Temporary Central Government Complex and the presidential residence the same place?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo. The Temporary Central Government Complex was the former Gyeongsangnam-do Provincial Government building used by government ministries. Gyeongmudae served as the president’s residence and workspace.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#why-preserve-government-buildings-and-refugee-housing-together\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"why-preserve-government-buildings-and-refugee-housing-together\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eWhy preserve government buildings and refugee housing together?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe buildings show how the state operated, while the housing shows how refugees lived. Including the pier also helps explain the connection between international aid and livelihoods.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#did-the-refugee-housing-disappear-after-the-war\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"did-the-refugee-housing-disappear-after-the-war\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eDid the refugee housing disappear after the war?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot all of it. Ami-dong and Uam-dong remained residential areas after the war. Their buildings and living spaces continued to change.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#is-busans-wartime-capital-heritage-already-a-unesco-world-heritage-site\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"is-busans-wartime-capital-heritage-already-a-unesco-world-heritage-site\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eIs Busan’s wartime capital heritage already a UNESCO World Heritage site?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlacement on the Tentative List and selection for the domestic Priority List are different from final inscription. Official materials checked in October 2026 describe it as being in the process of seeking inscription.\u003c/p\u003e\n","tags":["Modern Korean history","Cultural heritage","Korean War"],"faqs":[{"question":"Was Busan the capital throughout the Korean War?","answer":"No. Busan served as the wartime capital during two separate periods, with a gap in the fall of 1950 when the government returned to Seoul."},{"question":"Is 1023 days a definitively established calculation?","answer":"It is the figure commonly used by the Busan city government and in the UNESCO tentative list description. Some explanations say it should be calculated as 1025 days when the start date and leap year are taken into account. The official figure and verification of the exact number of days should be treated separately."},{"question":"Was the refugee dispersal directive an instruction to gather in Busan?","answer":"No. It was a July 1950 instruction to disperse refugees who had gathered in Daejeon across several provinces. The document predates Busan becoming the wartime capital."},{"question":"Once relief supplies arrived at the port, was distribution complete?","answer":"No. Arrival at the port, allocation to regions, and actual distribution are separate stages. An arrival status report alone cannot show how much each household received."},{"question":"Were the Temporary Central Government Building and the president's residence in the same place?","answer":"No. The Temporary Central Government Building was the former Gyeongsangnam-do Provincial Government building, which government ministries used. Gyeongmudae served as the president's residence and office."},{"question":"Why preserve government buildings and refugee housing together?","answer":"The government buildings show how the state operated, while the housing shows how refugees lived. Including the docks also helps explain the connection between international aid and livelihoods."},{"question":"Did the refugee housing disappear after the war ended?","answer":"Not all of it disappeared. Ami-dong and Uam-dong remained residential areas after the war. Their buildings and living spaces continued to change afterward."},{"question":"Is Busan's wartime capital heritage already a UNESCO World Heritage Site?","answer":"Inclusion on the tentative list and selection for the national priority nomination list are different from final inscription. Official materials checked in October 2026 describe it as still being in the process of seeking inscription."}],"sources":[{"url":"https://theme.archives.go.kr/next/625/records/recordDetail.do?flag=5\u0026page=3\u0026searchKey=\u0026searchTxt=\u0026seq=1008","title":"National Archives of Korea: Circular on the Dispersal of Refugees, 1950, BA0158833","type":"source"},{"url":"https://theme.archives.go.kr/next/625/records/recordDetail.do?flag=\u0026page=7\u0026searchKey=\u0026searchTxt=\u0026seq=1007","title":"National Archives of Korea: Overview Report on Relief Policies for Korean War Victims and Refugees, 1950, BA0852069","type":"source"},{"url":"https://artsandculture.google.com/story/tgVB5KsC_5i-EQ?hl=ko","title":"National Archives of Korea: Refugee Life During the Korean War as Seen Through National Archives, Original Images and Commentary","type":"source"},{"url":"https://www.busan.go.kr/wartime_capital/warcapital","title":"Busan Metropolitan City: The Korean War and Busan","type":"source"},{"url":"https://www.busan.go.kr/wartime_capital/busanheritage02","title":"Busan Metropolitan City: Temporary Central Government Building","type":"source"},{"url":"https://www.busan.go.kr/wartime_capital/busanheritage08","title":"Busan Metropolitan City: Ami-dong Tombstone Refugee Settlement","type":"source"},{"url":"https://www.busan.go.kr/wartime_capital/busanheritage09","title":"Busan Metropolitan City: Uam-dong Cowshed Refugee Settlement","type":"source"},{"url":"https://www.busan.go.kr/wartime_capital/busanheritage00","title":"Busan Metropolitan City: The World Heritage Value of Busan's Wartime Capital Heritage","type":"source"},{"url":"https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/6668/","title":"UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Sites of the Busan Wartime Capital, Tentative List submitted in 2023","type":"source"},{"url":"https://v.daum.net/v/E00WXqXEAC","title":"Kookje Shinmun: Story Workshop: Busan, the Wartime Capital.. A Story of 1023 Days, 1: Prologue, March 23, 2022","type":"source"},{"url":"https://www.kci.go.kr/kciportal/landing/article.kci?arti_id=ART002687277","title":"Park Hee-gyeong and Lee Jun-yeong: An Examination of the Use of Japanese Colonial-Era Heritage in Busan, the Wartime Capital, Humanities and Social Sciences Research, 2021","type":"source"},{"url":"https://pncc.pusan.ac.kr/bbs/pncc/12024/730590/download.do","title":"Cha Cheol-uk: Life Experiences and Values of Ami-dong Tombstone Village Residents, Locality Humanities, Issue 25, 2021","type":"source"},{"url":"https://www.busan.go.kr/news/snsbusan05/view?curPage=7\u0026dataNo=72123","title":"Busan City Bulletin: Busan, the Wartime Capital, Selected for the Priority List for World Heritage Inscription, December 2025 issue","type":"source"}],"images":[{"id":1755,"url":"https://injoys.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/proxy/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6MjY4MTAsInB1ciI6ImJsb2JfaWQifX0=--87595f874a0bfaf88d9a12676d03ef3fc778ec7c/ai-3b66c69d.webp","is_representative":false,"generation_method":"ai_semi","license":"ai_generated","mime_type":"image/webp","width":1536,"height":1024,"translations":{"ko":{"alt":"눈 덮인 부산항 부두에서 노동자들이 배의 나무 상자를 내리고, 접힌 천막과 화물 서류가 놓여 있다.","caption":"구호물자의 입항량과 배급 계획은 피란민의 실제 수령량과 구분해야 한다.","description":null},"en":{"alt":"Workers unload wooden crates from a ship onto a snowy pier, beside folded canvas and cargo sheets.","caption":"The arrival of relief supplies and plans to distribute them do not establish how much refugees received.","description":null},"ja":{"alt":"雪の積もる埠頭で作業員が船から木箱を降ろし、畳まれたテントと貨物書類が置かれている。","caption":"救援物資の入港量や配給計画は、避難民が実際に受け取った量と区別する必要がある。","description":null},"es":{"alt":"Trabajadores descargan cajas de madera de un barco en un muelle nevado, junto a lonas plegadas y documentos de carga.","caption":"La llegada de suministros de socorro y los planes de reparto no indican cuánto recibieron los refugiados.","description":null},"id":{"alt":"Pekerja menurunkan peti kayu dari kapal ke dermaga bersalju; kanvas terlipat dan dokumen kargo ada di dekatnya.","caption":"Jumlah bantuan yang tiba dan rencana pembagiannya harus dibedakan dari jumlah yang benar-benar diterima pengungsi.","description":null},"pt":{"alt":"Trabalhadores descarregam caixotes de madeira de um navio num cais nevado, junto a lonas dobradas e papéis de carga.","caption":"A chegada de mantimentos de socorro e os planos de distribuição não indicam quanto os refugiados receberam.","description":null},"zh-hant":{"alt":"工人在積雪的碼頭從船上卸下木箱，旁邊放著摺好的帆布和貨運文件。","caption":"救援物資的到港量與配給計畫，不能等同於避難者實際領到的數量。","description":null},"de":{"alt":"Arbeiter entladen Holzkisten von einem Schiff auf einen verschneiten Kai; daneben liegen gefaltete Planen und Frachtpapiere.","caption":"Eingetroffene Hilfsgüter und Verteilungspläne sagen nicht aus, wie viel die Geflüchteten tatsächlich erhielten.","description":null}}},{"id":1756,"url":"https://injoys.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/proxy/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6MjY4MTYsInB1ciI6ImJsb2JfaWQifX0=--e55d85661876208a612768477db8ab40105a6515/ai-5ef280bf.webp","is_representative":false,"generation_method":"ai_semi","license":"ai_generated","mime_type":"image/webp","width":1536,"height":1024,"translations":{"ko":{"alt":"부산항이 내려다보이는 언덕에서 사람들이 묘비 사이에 나무와 천으로 피란처를 짓고 있다.","caption":"피란주거지는 피란수도 부산에서 피란민이 생활을 이어 간 방식을 전한다.","description":null},"en":{"alt":"People build timber-and-canvas shelters among gravestones on a hillside above Busan harbor.","caption":"Refugee settlements show how displaced people made a life in wartime Busan.","description":null},"ja":{"alt":"釜山港を見下ろす丘で、人々が墓石の間に木材と布の仮住まいを建てている。","caption":"避難民の居住地は、臨時首都・釜山で人々が暮らしを続けたことを伝える。","description":null},"es":{"alt":"Varias personas levantan refugios de madera y lona entre lápidas en una ladera sobre el puerto de Busan.","caption":"Los asentamientos de refugiados muestran cómo continuó la vida cotidiana en Busan durante la guerra.","description":null},"id":{"alt":"Orang-orang membangun hunian kayu dan kanvas di antara batu nisan di lereng bukit di atas Pelabuhan Busan.","caption":"Permukiman pengungsi menunjukkan bagaimana kehidupan sehari-hari berlanjut di Busan semasa perang.","description":null},"pt":{"alt":"Pessoas erguem abrigos de madeira e lona entre lápides numa encosta acima do porto de Busan.","caption":"Os assentamentos de refugiados mostram como a vida cotidiana continuou em Busan durante a guerra.","description":null},"zh-hant":{"alt":"人們在俯瞰釜山港的山坡上，於墓碑之間搭建木架與帆布住所。","caption":"避難者聚居地見證了戰時釜山的日常生活如何延續。","description":null},"de":{"alt":"Menschen errichten zwischen Grabsteinen Unterkünfte aus Holz und Planen an einem Hang über dem Hafen von Busan.","caption":"Flüchtlingssiedlungen zeigen, wie Vertriebene im Busan der Kriegszeit ihren Alltag gestalteten.","description":null}}}],"published_at":"2026-10-11T07:58:12+09:00","updated_at":"2026-10-11T07:58:12+09:00","license":"cc_by","translation_status":"reviewed","available_locales":["ko","en","ja","es"],"data_locales":["ko","en","ja","es","id","pt","zh-hant","de"],"url":"https://injoys.com/en/articles/busan-wartime-capital-1023-days-relief-heritage"}