A number of iron production sites dating to the Proto-Three Kingdoms Period to Hanseong Baekje Period have recently been excavated in the central region, sparking a number of studies on the chronology and form classification of iron furnaces. Studies took place, respectively, in the mid-western and mid-eastern areas, but there was relatively less interest on explaining the driving force behind the large scale of iron production and how it changed over time. This raises the need to identify the specific nature of iron production at the time, in addition to examining its historical and cultural significance. As such, the present study aims to shed light on the chronological characteristics and locality of iron furnaces by analyzing iron furnaces and relevant artifacts excavated in the central region, spanning from the Proto-Three Kingdoms Period to Hanseong Baekje Period. The driving force behind the operation of the iron production sites and how this force changed over time are key topics of interest. Specialized iron furnaces were not built until the mid 2nd century CE; during this time, the production of small-sized ironwares prevailed. From the mid 2nd century, iron furnaces (such as clay-based smelting hearths, underground smelting furnaces, and smithery hearths) began to emerge, and the intensification of iron production occurred in the Bukhan River and Imjin River regions, where a number of smithery hearths came to be used. From the 3rd century, a number of iron furnaces were established from Cheongju to Jincheon around the Miho River region, and in Chungju around the Namhan River region, accompanied by the appearance of wooden structure smelting hearths. In addition, smelting and iron refineries were prevalent in the large-scale residential sites of the Youngdong region in Gangwon Province. Iron production sites were first established around the central and western areas where cultural exchange with the Jinhan and Byeonhan regions took place from the early 2nd century. Iron production sites came to be established along the southern region of Gyeonggi Province as iron production skills came to be adopted from Jinhan and Byeonhan from the mid 2nd century; the driving force behind this process was Mokjiguk, which was once the center of Mahan. From the late 3rd century, the Miho River region emerged as the center of Mahan iron production. With the spread of Baekje influence throughout Chungcheong Province from the mid 4th century, the production sites of Jincheon were absorbed by Baekje, resulting in a shift in the driving force to Baekje. A number of specialized iron production sites incorporating smelting hearths came to be newly established by Baekje in Chungju, around the Namhan River region. The central region, where Jincheon and Chungju are situated, was a strategic post and fierce battleground for the Three Kingdoms; it is also where iron ore deposits and white charcoal used for iron production were plentiful and geological characteristics advantageous to transportation via waterways cold be found. This is why Baekje strategically chose to establish such large scale iron production sites in this region.