Gyeongbuk Province Opens Saemaeul Undong Theme Park Exhibition Hall ... Utilized as a Complex Cultural Space

Saemaeul Undong Taedonggwan, History Hall, Media Cube, Buk Cafe, and Various Other Spaces 구성

The photo shows So Jin-kwang, then chairman of the Saemaul Movement Central Association, and others visiting Kankurimira Village, a Saemaul Movement self-sustaining village, in Uganda on December 3, 2017, to promote the Saemaul Global League (SGL). Residents are waving Saemaul flags to welcome them. Photo by Joint Press Corps

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Jae-ho] Gyeongsangbuk-do will hold the opening ceremony of the Saemaeul Movement Theme Park Exhibition Hall at 2 p.m. on the 24th at Saemaeul Square in Sangmo-Sagok-dong, Gumi-si.

The opening ceremony will be attended by Lee Cheol-woo, Governor of Gyeongbuk Province; Koo Ja-geun, Member of the National Assembly; Do Ki-wook, Vice Chairman of the Provincial Council; Lim Jong-sik, Superintendent of Education; Jang Se-yong, Mayor of Gumi; Kim Sang-jo, Vice Chairman of the Administrative and Health Welfare Committee; local council members; Choi Oe-chul, President of Yeungnam University; Lee Jong-pyeong, Chairman of the Gyeongsangbuk-do Saemaeul Association; other Saemaeul Association chairpersons; and about 100 residents' representatives.

The ceremony will begin with a congratulatory performance of Samulnori by Kim Deok-su, followed by a Saemaeul Movement YouTube video, progress report, awards and appreciation plaque presentation, commemorative speeches, congratulatory speeches, ribbon cutting, and finally, a tour of the exhibition hall by Governor Lee Cheol-woo and other guests.

The Saemaeul Movement Theme Park is composed of Saemaeul Square, where various cultural events can be held, an exhibition hall where visitors can experience the past, present, and future of the Saemaeul Movement at a glance, themed villages planned according to the prelude, emergence, and expansion stages of the Saemaeul Movement, and educational and research facilities such as the Global Hall and Research Hall, all on a site of 247,350㎡.

The Saemaeul Movement Theme Park was created as a comprehensive learning space for the Saemaeul Movement, aiming to reexamine its historical value and achievements, and to exhibit, experience, and train related materials. It serves as a center for presenting the vision of the 21st-century Saemaeul Movement and for the globalization of the movement.

Since November 2018, Gumi City has been operating the Saemaeul Movement Theme Park, including the exhibition hall, on a trial basis. After establishing a basic plan for exhibition hall operation and content enhancement in July 2019, a project to reinforce exhibition content was carried out from March 2020 to April 2021.

Furthermore, since April 1 of this year, the province has taken direct control of operations, solidifying the Saemaeul Movement Theme Park as the authentic Mecca and center of the Saemaeul Movement. The opening of the exhibition hall followed the completion of the exhibition content enhancement project, according to Gyeongbuk Province.

Governor Lee Cheol-woo of Gyeongsangbuk-do stated, "Gyeongbuk is the birthplace and origin of the Saemaeul Movement, and it is necessary to inherit and develop the historical value and achievements of the movement." He added, "As a diverse content space where the Saemaeul Movement can be exhibited, educated, and experienced, it will establish itself as a landmark of the Saemaeul Movement representing South Korea."

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