Naju City Selected as the Venue for the 'Republic of Korea Uibyeong Day' Event

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Han-hyuk] Naju City, Jeollanam-do (Mayor Kang In-gyu) has been selected as the host city for the 2021 ‘Korea Uibyung Day Commemoration Event’ organized by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.

According to the city on the 10th, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety conducted a call for host cities throughout April, and after document screening and on-site inspections of four local governments including Naju City and Boseong County in Jeollanam-do, Buk-gu in Ulsan, and Buyeo in Chungnam, Naju City was finally selected as the host city.

The government has designated June 1st as a legal memorial day since 2010 to awaken the historical value of the uibyung who led the national defense and to inherit the patriotic spirit, holding various commemorative events annually.

Following its selection as the top priority site for the ‘Namdo Uibyung History Park’ project, a campaign promise of the 7th Jeollanam-do administration, on the 6th, the city has reinforced its reputation as the foremost Uihyang (義鄕, “City of Righteousness”) beyond Honam to the entire nation by being chosen as the host of the nationwide Uibyung Day commemoration event.

Naju is regarded as the birthplace of the Jeolla-do uibyung spirit, having raised the first royalist uibyung in the nation after the outbreak of the Imjin War in 1592, recapturing Hanyang and defending Honam.

In particular, starting with ‘Geonjae (健齋) Kim Cheon-il,’ the first uibyung commander in Honam, Naju has firmly established itself as the true Uihyang of Honam, being the first site of uibyung uprising in late Joseon Honam and producing the largest number of uibyung and decorated veterans in the region.

Moreover, the year 2021, when the commemorative ceremony will be held, marks the 40th anniversary of Naju’s promotion from a county (gun) to a city (si).

The city plans to link the 40th anniversary of its city status with the Uibyung Day commemoration event, making it a festival that brings together citizens, expatriates, uibyung clans, and various organizations to foster regional development and harmony based on the spirit of Naju’s uibyung.

The commemorative event will be held on June 1st next year under the theme ‘We Are All Uibyung,’ featuring a reenactment of the uibyung departure ceremony at Geumseonggwan, where Commander Kim Cheon-il’s dispatch ceremony took place after the outbreak of the Imjin War, as well as events such as a commemorative concert, experiential and exhibition programs at Jeongryeolsa, Naju Hyanggyo, and the Naju Student Independence Movement Memorial Hall.

Additionally, from May 1st to June 1st next year, the period will be designated as ‘Uibyung Month,’ with various experiential events to inspire students with the spirit of Uihyang, including school tours, essay contests, and uibyung flag-making activities.

Mayor Kang In-gyu said, “The spirit of Jeolla-do’s Uihyang ultimately originated from the scholarly spirit and economic foundation of Naju, the center of Jeolla-do, and history proves that Naju people have played a leading role in history from the Imjin War to liberation. We will do our best to fulfill the mission of illuminating a new millennium of hope for Naju, Jeollanam-do through the creation of the Namdo History Park and the Korea Uibyung Day commemoration event.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.