Gangbuk-gu, Why Did They Sell Overseas Independence Movement Memorabilia?

Available for purchase at the souvenir vending machine at the entrance of the Modern History Memorial Hall... Limited sale of T-shirts engraved with overseas anti-Japanese movement sites and eco-friendly bags

Tourist souvenir vending machine installed at the entrance of Gangbuk-gu Modern History Memorial Hall

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Gangbuk-gu (Mayor Park Kyum-soo) is creating and selling souvenirs to raise awareness of hidden anti-Japanese struggle sites overseas and to honor independence activists.

The souvenirs were inspired by a special photo exhibition held at the Modern History Memorial Hall. The exhibition, planned to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Korean immigration to Cuba, displayed 52 photographs by artist Kim Dong-woo. Kim captured images of independence movement sites scattered across the world and the descendants of activists.

The district produced a limited quantity of 230 T-shirts and 100 eco-friendly bags featuring the artist’s works. The photos selected for the souvenirs were chosen by Kim Dong-woo. One depicts the Eneken farm in Mexico, and the other is the Danjidongmaeng Monument in Russia.

Eneken is a type of tropical cactus called “yongseollan” (dragon tongue agave) because its leaf shape resembles a dragon’s tongue. Korean immigrants who arrived in Mexico in 1905 endured forced labor on the Eneken farm while supporting independence movement funds for their homeland. The Danjidongmaeng Monument in Krasikino, Russia, commemorates the 1909 event where An Jung-geun and his comrades cut off their left fourth fingers as a pledge for national independence.

The souvenirs have been on sale since this year’s Liberation Day. They are available at the souvenir vending machine located at the entrance of the Modern History Memorial Hall. The T-shirts are priced at 22,000 KRW each, and the eco-friendly bags at 8,500 KRW each. The T-shirts are only available in white short-sleeve style and are made with functional fabric to prevent photo distortion after washing. The eco-friendly bags are ivory-colored and made from Oxford fabric, which is resistant to stains. The vending machine operates daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., except Mondays when the memorial hall is closed.

The special photo exhibition, which began in May, will continue at the Modern History Memorial Hall until the 31st of this month.

The exhibition features intense anti-Japanese struggle sites such as the India Red Fort where the Korean Liberation Army’s Inmyeon Jeon-gu Unit trained, the Taegukgi Cave in Najagu, Wangqing County, site of the Daejeon Jaryeong Battle, and the locations of the assassination attempts by Jang In-hwan and Jeon Myeong-un in San Francisco. Descendants of independence activists living in Cuba, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and other places can also be seen in the works.

Park Kyum-soo, mayor of Gangbuk-gu, said, “Forgotten overseas anti-Japanese movement sites are scattered all over the world. I hope the special photo exhibition and souvenirs will provide an opportunity to reappraise the hidden heroes who worked hard for liberation.”

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