Jinju City Actively Promotes Hosting Samsung's 'Lee Kun-hee Art Museum'

Jinju is the location of the elementary school attended by Samsung's founder and the capital of entrepreneurship

Exterior view of Jisu Elementary School attended by the founder of Samsung [Image source=Jinju City]

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Soon-kyung] Jinju City has joined the competition to host the exhibition space for the approximately 23,000 art pieces donated by the late Chairman Lee Kun-hee, known as the "Lee Kun-hee Art Museum."

President Moon Jae-in, regarding Chairman Lee's art donation, instructed, "In order to honor the spirit of the donation well and allow the public to appreciate these excellent works, consider establishing a separate exhibition room or a special gallery."

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism is also reportedly promoting the construction of a separate art museum, museum, or storage facility for the donated artworks.

Amid the competition among local governments to attract the art museum, public opinion holds that the so-called "Lee Kun-hee Art Museum" should be established in the southern region of Korea, encompassing Yeongho and Nam areas, to fulfill the late chairman’s will for the development of Korean culture and to promote balanced cultural and artistic development.

Jinju City explains that geographically, it is located midway between Yeongho and Nam, offering excellent accessibility, and is only 1 to 2 hours away from major southern metropolitan areas such as Busan, Ulsan, Daegu, Gwangju, and Jeonju, making it the most suitable location for the "Lee Kun-hee Art Museum."

In July 2018, the city was designated as the "Capital of Entrepreneurial Spirit in Korea" by the Korean Academy of Management and held a proclamation ceremony.

In particular, Jisumyeon in Jinju is home to Jisu Elementary School, which was attended in his childhood by the late Lee Byung-chul, the father of the donor Lee Kun-hee and founder of Samsung Group, making it a place deeply connected to Chairman Lee.

Jinju Mayor Cho Gyu-il said, "In our country, cultural and artistic facilities are concentrated in the metropolitan area and large cities. The true intention of the donor is to practice cultural democracy by installing new cultural facilities in local areas deprived of cultural benefits so that many citizens can enjoy culture and arts."

He added, "Jinju, as the center of the southern region and easily accessible from Yeongho and Nam areas, allows many people to enjoy cultural benefits. It is the place where the entrepreneurial spirit of the donor Lee Kun-hee can be sublimated and his will can be realized," expressing strong determination to attract the "Lee Kun-hee Art Museum" to Jinju in connection with the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Jinmu Hall.

Meanwhile, Jinju has produced outstanding artists who have made significant marks in the history of modern Korean art, such as Park Saeng-gwang, known as the "Master of Color Painting" and the "Picasso of Korea," and Lee Seong-ja, who gained fame in the French art world as the "Ambassador of the East."

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