The region now known as Jungnang-gu consists of a triangular area between Bonghwasan Mountain, Yongmasan Mountain, and Mangusan Mountain at its center. It has a long history, with relics from the late Paleolithic era and Bronze Age excavated from this area showing human inhabitation that can be traced back to as far as 30,000BC.

As recently as the 1960s, in the area between Sangbong’s beacon mounds to Myeonmok-dong, traces of earthen walls dating back to the late Paleolithic era and early Iron Age could be found, suggesting that Jungnang-gu was a walled state. In the Three Kingdoms Period when Baekje played a part in securing a beachhead at the basin of Han River, and then from the Unified Silla Period into the early Joseon Dynasty Period in 983, a total of twelve moks were installed, making a yangjumok.

In 1663 (four years after the start of the Joseon Dynasty) if you look at Jinheonmajeongsekdo in the Hanseongmokjangjido written for Heomok, it is set against Mt. Buramsan with Han River to the south and Achasan Mountain to the north, both bordering on the Jungnang and Cheongyecheon rivers and Ilbu and Sinchon areas. Without distinctly defined borders, Jungnang-gu and Gwangjin-gu are both considered part of the larger Hanseongmokjangjido.

On May 26, 1895 by imperial order no. 101, the entire nation was to be reorganized into twenty-three bu (ministries) and three hundred thirty-six gun (districts). Then, on August 6 of the following year, the twenty-three ministries were dissolved in favor of dividing the nation into thirteen do (provinces) in Hanseongbu (the capital), turning Yangju into the Yangju-gun district as part of Gyeonggi-do Province.

On December 29, 1913, ordinance no. 111 of the Joseon governor stated that the Jungnang area was part of the Gyeonggi-do Yangju-gun Guri-myeon (now Sangbong-dong, Junghwa-dong, Muk-dong, Mangu-dong, Sinnae-dong) and Goyang-gun Ddukdo-myeon (present-day Myeonmok-dong, Junggok-dong). Then on August 15, 1949, Seoul Metropolitan City was extended to include Goyang-gun Ddukdo-myeon Myeonmok-li. On January 1, 1963, Yangju-gun Guri-myeon’s Sangbong-li, Junghwa-li, Muk-li, Manguri, and Sinnae-li were incorporated and are now Sangbong-dong, Junghwa-dong, Muk-dong, Mangu-dong, and Sinnae-dong.

At this time, Manguri’s branch office was established; following its dissolution on January 1, 1968, Manguribecame part of Dongdaemun-gu; based on the revision of the dong administration office, Myeonmok-dong was divided into Myeonmok-il(1) and Myeonmok-i(2)-dong. In July 1973, with the expansion of Gwanak-gu and Dobong-gu occurring simultaneously with the restructuring of Myeonmok-dong such that part of it belonged to Seongdong-gu, there were Myeonmok-sam(3), sa(4)-dongs where Myeonmok-il(1) used to be. On October 1, 1975, Myeonmok-i(2)-dong became Myeonmok-i(2), o(5)-dongs. On September 1, 1977, part of Myeonmok-il(1)-dong became Myeonmok-yuk(6)-dong whereas Mangu-dong was split into Mangu-il(1), i(2)-dongs.

On July 1, 1980, Muk-dong became Muk-il(1), i(2)-dongs, and Mangu-dong became Mangu-i(2), sam(3)-dongs. Later, on January 1, 1988, the heavily populated areas were further divided into additional districts -- Jungnang, Nowon, Seocho, Yangcheon, and Songpa-gus -- for a total of five districts. With the Jungnang-gu district branched off from Dongdaemun-gu, the dong (ward) was further partitioned until there were a total of 17 wards: Myeonmok-il(1), i(2), sam(3), sa(4), o(5), ryuk(6), chil(7)-dongs; Sangbong-il(1), i(2)-dongs; Junghwa-il(1), i(2)-dongs; Mangu-il(1), i(2), sam(3)-dongs; and Sinnae-dong. This continued until June 1, 1989 when the densely populated Junghwa-il(1)-dong was split into Junghwa-il(1) and sam(3)-dongs. On July 1, 1992, Myeonmok-yuk(6)-dong became Myeonmok-yuk(6), pal(8)-dongs. Finally, on March 1, 1996, Sinnae-dong was partitioned into Sinnae-il(1), i(2)-dongs. After all of such restructuring and reorganizing of municipal districts, the number of administrative wards rose to twenty.

Then on January 1, 2008, there was another restructuring of the administrative wards, reducing the total number to 16 to improve the inefficient administration and to make the improvement of citizens’ welfare services the top priority by expanding cultural and welfare sites. Thus, Myeonmok-il(1) and yuk(6)-dongs became Myeonmok-dong, Junghwa-i(2), sam(3)-dongs became only Junghwa-i(2)-dong, and Mangu-il(1) and i(2)-dongs became Mangu-dong.