Samsung Cultural Foundation Partners with Ahn Jung-geun Memorial Hall for Cultural Heritage Preservation and Restoration

From the 28th, Dr. Ahn's Artifacts Preservation Results Revealed
Three Artifacts Preserved at Leeum Museum of Art Completed

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] The preservation and restoration of the cultural heritage of independence activist Ahn Jung-geun, who has become more vividly imprinted on the public through films and musicals, is gaining momentum.

Kim Hwang-sik, Chairman of Samsung Foundation, Ryu Moon-hyung, CEO, and Yoo Young-ryeol, Director of the Ahn Jung-geun Memorial Hall, observing the preserved calligraphy of Ahn Jung-geun (from left).
Photo by Samsung Foundation

The Samsung Foundation of Culture (Chairman Kim Hwang-sik) and the Ahn Jung-geun Memorial Hall (Director Yoo Young-ryeol) announced on the 16th that they have signed a "Memorandum of Understanding for the Preservation, Restoration, and Cooperation of Ahn Jung-geun’s Cultural Heritage."

The two organizations agreed to △ investigate the condition of Ahn Jung-geun’s relics △ support the preservation treatment of Ahn Jung-geun’s relics △ share preservation results with the public through performance disclosure programs △ and engage in mutual exchange and cooperation activities related to other preservation and restoration projects.

Through this, they plan to preserve Ahn Jung-geun’s cultural heritage and widely promote his noble spirit and peace ideology to the public.

Additionally, from the 28th of this month to April 16th, a program titled "Transcendence ? Meeting Beyond Past and Present, Across Borders" will be held in the multipurpose room of the Leeum Museum of Art.

This exhibition will showcase three relics that completed preservation work over the past year since March last year at the Leeum Museum of Art’s Conservation Research Lab, the album "Anbongseonpunggyeong Bu Manjuhwabo" depicting Ahn Jung-geun’s dignified appearance during his trial, and ten photographs featuring Ahn Jung-geun, his comrades, and family members.

The three relics that have undergone preservation treatment and are being publicly displayed this time are the "Family Photo Album," the prison calligraphy "Jisa Inin Salsin Seongin" (志士仁人 殺身成仁, Treasure), and "Cheondangjibok Yeongwonjirak" (天堂之福 永遠之樂).

The preservation process of the family photo album of Ahn Jung-geun's relics.
[Photo by Samsung Cultural Foundation]

The photo album’s detached binding and worn corners were restored to their original state, and the two calligraphies had their damaged parts repaired after many years, with the mounting replaced and new scrolls, thick rolled silk, and paulownia wood storage boxes newly made to ensure better preservation in the future.

The preservation process was presented as a "video" so that the public could vividly see the restoration of the relics.

The Samsung Foundation of Culture plans to continue actively carrying out social contribution activities to preserve and widely promote valuable cultural heritage in the future.

Yoo Young-ryeol, Director of the Ahn Jung-geun Memorial Hall, said, "We are very honored to cooperate with the Samsung Foundation of Culture in preserving and publicly displaying the precious cultural heritage of Ahn Jung-geun. We hope that Ahn Jung-geun’s spirit, who calmly upheld his ideals even in the face of death and practiced them himself, will give a message of hope to the people who overcame the difficult pandemic."

Ryu Moon-hyung, CEO of the Samsung Foundation of Culture, said, "In January, I watched the movie 'Hero' with the foundation’s young employees, and knowing that the Leeum Museum of Art was preserving Ahn Jung-geun’s relics made the movie’s content resonate even more deeply. I hope this cooperation will help our younger generation better understand and remember Ahn Jung-geun."

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