Opening of Yongsan-gu 'Lee Bong-chang Uisa History Echo Hall'

Published 20 Oct.2020 06:43(KST)

Updated 20 Oct.2020 06:43(KST)

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Construction of Hyochang 4 District (currently Yongsan KCC Switzen Apartment) housing redevelopment project including the site of patriot Lee Bong-chang's house... Opening ceremony of Lee Bong-chang Patriot History Echo Hall held on the 21st... District mayor's memorial speech, ribbon cutting, and bust unveiling ceremony conducted in 40 minutes with minimized attendees... History Echo Hall is a one-story building with a total floor area of 70㎡, featuring an exhibition room, office, and porch... Open every Tuesday to Sunday from 10 AM to 5 PM. Free admission.

Front View of the Lee Bong-chang Activist History Hall

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Yongsan-gu (District Mayor Seong Chang-hyun) will hold the opening ceremony of the ‘Lee Bong-chang Activist History Resonance Hall (286-7, Hyochang-dong)’ at 3 p.m. on the 21st.

The event will last 40 minutes, proceeding in the order of the district mayor’s memorial speech, a youth representative’s address, tape cutting, bust unveiling ceremony, and facility tour. About 30 people including Yongsan District Mayor Seong Chang-hyun, district council members, and local residents are expected to attend. Considering the COVID-19 situation, the number of attendees has been minimized.

The Lee Bong-chang Activist History Resonance Hall is a one-story building with a total floor area of 70㎡. It features a traditional wooden structure with a tiled roof and includes an exhibition room, office, and a wooden veranda.

Upon entering the exhibition room, the first thing that catches the eye is the bust of the activist. It is a work by artist Kim Young-won (former dean of Hongik University College of Fine Arts). Earlier this month, Kim Ho-yeon, chairman of Binggrae and vice chairman of the Lee Bong-chang Activist Memorial Project Association, donated the artwork to the district.

The exhibition can be viewed starting from the left side of the bust. The themes are set according to the activist’s life: ‘Encountering Lee Bong-chang in Hyochang-dong, Yongsan-gu,’ ‘Preparing for the Operation,’ and ‘Becoming a Rekindled Flame.’

Not limited to maps, photos, and graphics, the exhibition features the latest display techniques such as kiosks (unmanned comprehensive information guidance systems) and augmented reality (VR). Historical documents and relics (replicas) such as the activist’s handwritten ‘Korean Patriotic Corps Membership Oath’ and ‘Letter Requesting Operation Funds’ are also exhibited.

Visitors can also print commemorative tickets for independence activists when leaving the exhibition. The tickets briefly print key activities and famous quotes of independence activists such as Baekbeom Kim Gu and Dosan Ahn Chang-ho.

The outdoor area of the building is designed as the ‘Lee Bong-chang History Park.’ Trees such as crape myrtle, apple, plum, and pine, as well as herbaceous plants, are planted, and a traditional Korean-style fence is installed along part of the park boundary. Visitors can enjoy the landscaping from the History Resonance Hall’s wooden veranda and benches.

Bust of Independence Activist Lee Bong-chang

The History Resonance Hall and park construction project cost 700 million won from the district budget.

In 2018, the district established the basic plan for building the activist memorial hall as a campaign pledge of the 7th elected district mayor, and the site was secured through the Hyochang 4 district (currently Yongsan KCC Switzen Apartments) housing redevelopment project, which includes the activist’s former residence.

The district changed the ‘small park’ donated by the redevelopment association to the district to a ‘history park’ in consultation with Seoul City, started construction design in February, and began construction in May. In July, the name of the memorial hall was selected through a public contest among citizens, and the name ‘History Resonance Hall’ was decided.

Lee Bong-chang is a representative independence fighter of Yongsan. He was born on August 10, 1901, in Wonjeong 2 Jeongmok, Yongsanbang, Gyeongseongbu (currently Wonhyo-ro 2-ga, Yongsan-gu, Seoul), and soon after moved to 118 Geumjeong (currently Hyochang-dong, Yongsan-gu).

It appears that his family’s financial situation declined when he was 13 years old. From the following year, he worked at Japanese-run confectionery shops and pharmacies, learning Japanese. At 19, he moved to work as a porter at Yongsan Station but quit at 24 due to dissatisfaction with discriminatory treatment.

In 1925, he went to Japan and tried to adapt to Japanese society using the name Kinoshita Shozo (木下昌藏). However, he again faced discrimination and began to harbor anti-Japanese sentiments.

Eventually, at the end of 1930, he went to Shanghai, China, and sought the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea. In May of the following year, he told Kim Gu, “If you provide me with a bomb, I will go to Japan and assassinate the Emperor,” to which Kim Gu responded, “I will provide the bomb.”

On December 31, 1931, Lee Bong-chang became the first member of the ‘Korean Patriotic Corps’ organized by Kim Gu. He took a commemorative photo with the Taegeukgi flag in the background, wearing the oath on his chest and holding grenades in both hands.

The historic Tokyo operation took place at 11:44 a.m. on January 8, 1932. Lee, waiting in front of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, threw a bomb at Emperor Hirohito returning from a military parade at Yoyogi Parade Ground.

However, the operation failed, and Lee was arrested on the spot. On September 30, 1932, he was sentenced to death for ‘high treason’ by the Japanese Supreme Court and was executed at 9:02 a.m. on October 10 of the same year at Ichigaya Prison. His remains were buried in the Urawa Prison cemetery.

His remains returned to Korea on May 15, 1946, along with those of activists Yun Bong-gil and Baek Jeong-gi. On July 6, Baekbeom Kim Gu held a national funeral for the three martyrs and buried them in Hyochang Park (177-18 Hyochangwon-ro, Yongsan-gu).

Yongsan District Mayor Seong Chang-hyun said, “Although Lee Bong-chang’s operation failed, it rekindled the flame of the stagnant anti-Japanese independence movement. Since he died without descendants, we must become his successors. I hope many people visit the memorial hall to commemorate the activist and reflect on the spirit of the independence struggle.”