Walking, Listening, and Empathizing Together in One Heart for 'Peaceful Unification'

Democratic Peaceful Unification Advisory Council Dongdaemun-gu Chapter to Hold Family Walking Event and One Heart Concert at Baebongsan Neighborhood Park on the 15th & Fostering Community Consensus on Peaceful Unification While Walking Baebongsan Trail under the Theme 'We Are One Family, One Heart for Unification' ... Geumcheon-gu 'Harmony Festival' Successfully Concluded

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] “On a clear autumn day, it was a great time to walk the Baebongsan Dulle-gil trail with my family, share heartfelt conversations, and reflect on peaceful reunification.”

A family participating in the ‘2022 Peaceful Reunification Wish Family Walking Contest’ shared their thoughts.

On the 15th, at Baebongsan Neighborhood Park in Dongdaemun-gu, the Dongdaemun-gu Council of the National Unification Advisory Council (Chairman Lee Young-seop) hosted the ‘2022 Peaceful Reunification Wish Family Walking Contest’ and the ‘One Heart Music Concert.’

Marking its third year, about 1,000 people including Dongdaemun-gu Mayor Lee Pil-hyung, National Assembly members Ahn Gyu-baek and Jang Kyung-tae, Dongdaemun-gu Council Chairman Lee Tae-in, advisory council members of the National Unification Advisory Council, and local residents attended the event.

Held for the first time in four years since 2018, the event started at the Baebongsan Outdoor Music Hall and involved a 4km walk along the trail under the theme “We Are One Family, One Heart for Reunification,” aiming to build a consensus among residents on peaceful reunification.

Additionally, various pre-event activities such as face painting and writing messages wishing for peaceful reunification were held at one side of the Baebongsan Outdoor Music Hall for residents to participate in.

After the walking contest, from 6 p.m., singers including V.O.S, the Pyongyang Art Troupe, and Mr. Trot’s Jung Ho performed a variety of shows at the Baebongsan Outdoor Music Hall. Residents enjoyed the beautiful autumn atmosphere while listening to the songs and performances, showing great enthusiasm.

Lee Young-seop, Chairman of the Dongdaemun-gu Council of the National Unification Advisory Council, said, “I thank the residents and advisory members who participated with one heart wishing for peaceful reunification at this event held after four years. We will continue to carry out various projects to expand the consensus on peaceful reunification among residents.”

Lee Pil-hyung, Acting Chairman of the National Unification Advisory Council who attended the event, stated, “I am very pleased to participate in the One Heart Music Concert with residents on this deepening autumn day, and I hope that the earnest wishes of all our residents for peaceful reunification will become the cornerstone that accelerates reunification.”

The National Unification Advisory Council, which hosted this event, is a constitutional institution that advises and proposes to the president on the establishment and promotion of democratic peaceful reunification policies. It actively conducts education and publicity to build consensus on reunification and projects related to North Korean defectors.

Geumcheon-gu (Mayor Yoo Sung-hoon) announced that the representative festival of Geumcheon-gu, the ‘2022 Geumcheon Harmony Festival,’ concluded successfully with about 10,000 participants, receiving enthusiastic responses from Geumcheon residents and citizens of Seoul’s southwestern region.

The festival took place from October 13 to 16 at Gasan Hyundai City Outlet, Anyangcheon, and Geumnarae Central Park. Three citizen planning teams discovered through the Citizen Cultural Planning Academy ‘Harmony Campus,’ which started in March, directly planned programs and featured stages by local artists, expanding the role of residents as the main protagonists of the festival. Additionally, an ESG project focusing on environmental awareness was prominently featured, earning praise as a festival where residents and nature harmonize.

At the official opening ceremony, a stage was set up to allow a full view of the Anyangcheon riverside, creating a waterfront city atmosphere befitting Seoul’s tributary renaissance. The community dance ‘Harmony Umbrella,’ performed together by Geumcheon residents, was a spectacular sight. The 100-person choir, including the Geumcheon-gu Women’s Choir, the Geumcheon-gu Senior Choir which won bronze at a national choir competition, and the G Harmony Choir centered on G Valley CEOs, created a beautiful harmony by the Anyangcheon riverside at sunset in October.

The final act of the opening ceremony was the Sanulrim Band led by Kim Chang-wan, who commented on the performance, “The sounds of cars on the Western Arterial Road, the subway, and airplanes blended like applause, making it an unforgettable concert.”

As a pre-event program, ‘Harmony House,’ a meeting place for local artists (singer-songwriter Harim, traditional musicians Kim Bong-young and Kim Bu-young brothers) and residents, saw enthusiastic competition from applicants, reflecting its popularity. One resident said, “Being invited to the artists’ space, hearing sincere and profound stories, and watching performances firsthand will remain a lasting memory.”

The eco-friendly project ‘Geumcheon Green Stream,’ prepared for a sustainable Earth and Geumcheon, went beyond just enjoying the festival by expressing the vague climate crisis emergency through exhibitions, receiving responses as ‘harmony between nature and people.’

Meanwhile, the festival period was designated as Harmony Week, incorporating events such as a book festival and lifelong learning festival, allowing audiences to enjoy richer content and receiving praise for attempting harmony in festival administration as well.

Yoo Sung-hoon, Mayor of Geumcheon-gu, said, “At the Harmony Festival, held face-to-face for the first time in two years, I hope that all who visited, including Geumcheon residents, had a meaningful time communicating and coming together.”

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