Families of Former Presidents Join Hands at Cheong Wa Dae... "A Historic Symbol of Reconciliation"

Special Exhibition for the 1st Anniversary of Cheongwadae Opening - Joint Viewing
Attended by Jo Hyeja, Yoon Sanggu, Park Jiman, Noh Jaehyun, Kim Hyuncheol, Kim Hongup

Six family members of former presidents visited the main building of the Blue House on the 29th, invited by Park Bo-gyun, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, to view the exhibition "Stories of Our Presidents." The exhibition, which runs until the 28th of next month, showcases the lives and lifestyles of former presidents of the Republic of Korea through personal items and materials they used.

Families of former presidents gathered at the Blue House on the 29th. From the far left in the back row, clockwise: Minister Park Bo-gyun, Chairman Park Ji-man, Chairman Noh Jae-heon, Chairman Kim Hong-eop, Vice Chairman Yoon Sang-gu, Mrs. Cho Hye-ja, Chairman Kim Hyun-chul.
[Photo by Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism]

Present at the event were Mrs. Jo Hye-ja (daughter-in-law of President Rhee Syngman), Yoon Sang-gu, CEO of Dongseo Corporation (son of President Yoon Bo-seon), Park Ji-man, CEO and Chairman of EG (son of President Park Chung-hee), Noh Jae-heon, Chairman of the East Asia Culture Center (son of President Roh Tae-woo), Kim Hyun-chul, Chairman of the Kim Young-sam Presidential Foundation, and Kim Hong-eop, Chairman of the Kim Dae-jung Peace Center.

The attendees unanimously stated, "This kind of meeting is unprecedented in our political history," and expressed hope that "it would serve as an opportunity to move away from a self-deprecating and negative view of presidential history toward spreading a culture of presidential unity and positivity."

Mrs. Jo Hye-ja said, "The English typewriter my father (President Rhee Syngman) used seems to come alive," adding, "In those days when diplomatic infrastructure was lacking, my father personally wrote diplomatic documents and prepared papers related to the Korea-US alliance."

CEO Yoon Sang-gu said, "My father (President Yoon Bo-seon) changed the name of Gyeongmudae to the Blue House," and added, "In this exhibition hall, there is neither ruling party nor opposition party, only the determination for national development, love for the people, and a living, breathing Republic of Korea of unity."

Chairman Park Ji-man recalled, "Before becoming a soldier, my father (President Park Chung-hee) was an elementary school teacher and was good at drawing," and said, "The photo titled ‘Memories of Jeodo’ from my sister (President Park Geun-hye)’s presidency is the title of a poem my father wrote after my mother passed away. I remember the family vacations we spent on Jeodo during my childhood."

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced on the 30th that six family members of former presidents of the Republic of Korea visited the special exhibition "Stories of Our Presidents," held at the Blue House Main Hall, on the 29th. Invited by Park Bo-gyun, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the gathering included Mrs. Jo Hye-ja (daughter-in-law of President Rhee Syngman), Yoon Sang-gu, CEO of Dongseo Corporation (son of President Yoon Bo-seon), Park Ji-man, Chairman and CEO of EG (son of President Park Chung-hee and brother of President Park Geun-hye), Noh Jae-heon, Chairman of the East Asia Culture Center (son of President Roh Tae-woo), Kim Hyun-chul, Chairman of the Kim Young-sam Presidential Foundation (son of President Kim Young-sam), and Kim Hong-eop, Chairman of the Kim Dae-jung Peace Center (son of President Kim Dae-jung).
[Photo by Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism]

Chairman Noh Jae-heon explained, "During my father’s (President Roh Tae-woo) term, the hosting of the 1988 Seoul Olympics and his dedication to northern diplomacy were efforts to clearly expand the horizon of national unity," and added, "My father was good at singing, played the tongso (Korean flute) and whistling, and composed songs for each military unit."

Chairman Kim Hyun-chul said, "Early morning jogging was a kind of official ritual for my father (President Kim Young-sam), a moment of absolute solitude and bold decision-making regarding state affairs," and conveyed, "The 'unity and harmony' that my father emphasized like a legacy is a call to our political circles after democratization and the achievement of liberal democracy."

Chairman Kim Hong-eop, looking at a commemorative photo of a Blue House dinner where President Kim Dae-jung invited former presidents Choi Kyu-ha, Chun Doo-hwan, Roh Tae-woo, and Kim Young-sam and their spouses, said, "He said the gathering was arranged to share governance experiences and gain wisdom to overcome national crises, and to deliver a message of unity to the people."

As they toured the exhibition, the attendees said, "The history of leadership at the Blue House is conveyed subtly and familiarly through symbolic items and photos without teaching or imposing on visitors," and added, "This marks an important turning point in transforming the self-deprecating historical perspective, the focus on controversies over merits and faults, and the presidential historical culture centered on finding weaknesses, which had prevailed in some parts of our society, into something new and healthy."

Minister Park Bo-gyun explained, "Our presidents led the miraculous history of the Republic of Korea by achieving liberal democracy, the Korea-US alliance, industrialization, and democratization," and said, "This event was organized to confirm and remember that this proud history was made through the anguish, decisions, dedication, and love for the people of the former presidents."

He added, "It is also a meeting where the families of former presidents overcome conflicts and confrontations in dynamic modern history through historical reconciliation, and pledge to create a future vision of a new, unified, and progressive Republic of Korea."

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