Photo Exhibition Commemorating the 30th Anniversary of the Seoul Metropolitan Council Revival

Held for 11 Days from July 1 to 11 at Seoul Urban Architecture Exhibition Hall Seoul Maru and 1st Floor Gallery of Seoul Metropolitan Council Main Building

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] The Seoul Metropolitan Council (Chairman Kim In-ho) will hold a photo exhibition showcasing the activities of past councils to commemorate the 30th anniversary this year since its revival as the 3rd council on July 8, 1991, celebrating its growth into a “Seoul Metropolitan Council where citizens are the owners and work together with citizens.”

This photo exhibition fully captures the 30-year history of the Seoul Metropolitan Council, which has strived to realize grassroots democracy and improve the quality of life for citizens. It will be open to the public from July 1 to July 11 at the Seoul Urban Architecture Center Seoul Maru and the 1st floor gallery of the Seoul Metropolitan Council main building.

The exhibition not only presents the 30-year record of the Seoul Metropolitan Council, which was revived through citizens’ democratization struggles, but is also designed around the concept of “a resting place and shade in everyday life where anyone can take a break, the Seoul Metropolitan Council.”

To harmonize with the views of Deoksugung Palace, Seoul Anglican Cathedral, and the Seoul Metropolitan Council without disrupting the scenery, the external structures were designed and planned accordingly. The exhibition at the Seoul Urban Architecture Center Seoul Maru focuses on functioning as a resting place where visitors can view the exhibition and also sit and relax.

The circular chairs installed in four zones symbolize the 110 council members of the Seoul Metropolitan Council sitting face-to-face with citizens for comfortable communication. The photo exhibition is divided into two locations: the Seoul Urban Architecture Center Seoul Maru and the 1st floor gallery of the Seoul Metropolitan Council main building.

The photo exhibition at the Seoul Urban Architecture Center Seoul Maru is organized into four zones.

The first zone displays the main title of the exhibition, the history of the Seoul Metropolitan Council building, the evolution of voting methods, and photos from the 1st and 2nd councils (September 1956 to May 1961). The second zone exhibits photos from the 3rd to the 6th councils (July 1991 to June 2006), after the revival of the Seoul Metropolitan Council.

The third zone features photos from the 7th to the 9th councils (July 2006 to June 2018), and the fourth zone focuses on the transition of local autonomy and the 10th Seoul Metropolitan Council (July 2018 to present), preparing for decentralized self-governance.

The 1st floor gallery of the Seoul Metropolitan Council main building exhibits photos centered on the activities of the 10th council. The exhibition mainly includes photos of the opening ceremonies of the first and second halves of the term, extraordinary sessions, activities of the nine standing committees, council events, and site visits.

The Seoul Metropolitan Council began with the 1st council in 1956 and the 2nd council opened in 1960, but local councils were forcibly dissolved due to the May 16 military coup in 1961, resulting in a long hiatus.

Subsequently, local elections resumed through the June 10 Democratic Uprising in 1987, an anti-dictatorship democratization movement realizing grassroots democracy, and the Seoul Metropolitan Council was revived with the launch of the 3rd council.

Kim Ji-hyung, Director of Public Relations at the Seoul Metropolitan Council, emphasized, “As you appreciate the development process of local autonomy through the photos, you will feel how mature our democracy has become,” and added, “We ask for the citizens’ great interest in the Seoul Metropolitan Council, which has always existed for the citizens in the same place through this exhibition.”

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