Academic Conference on Independence Activist 'Hongwa Lee Doohun': Special Exhibition Promoting the Honor of the Gichak Clan

Following the cultural exchange agreement signed in June between Goryeong County Office and the Korea National Institute of Korean Studies, on November 7th, the Korea National Institute of Korean Studies hosted the “Academic Conference on the Scholarship and Ideology of Independence Activist Hongwa Lee Doo-hoon and the Special Exhibition Promoting the Honor of the Donated Clan.”

Hongwa Teacher Academic Conference Poster.

The academic conference began with a keynote lecture by Professor Choi Young-sung (Korea National University of Cultural Heritage) on “The Scholarship and Confucian Thought of Hongwa Lee Doo-hoon,” followed by a thematic presentation titled “Hongwa Lee Doo-hoon’s Social Relations and Contemporary Awareness” by Senior Research Fellow Lee Nam-ok (Korea National Institute of Korean Studies).

The special exhibition, held in conjunction with the academic seminar, selected about 50 items of high cultural heritage value from 9,728 donated materials of the Seongsan Lee clan. These materials showcased the history of the donated clan and the activities of its key figures. Notably, a dedicated section was planned for the National Debt Repayment Movement materials, which are registered as a UNESCO Memory of the World, fully capturing the life and achievements of Hongwa Lee Doo-hoon.

The academic conference was made even more meaningful by the attendance of many distinguished guests, including Lee Nam-chul, Goryeong County Governor; Lee Myung-sik, Executive Director of the National Debt Repayment Movement Memorial Association; Kim Yeon-jo, Jeongyo of Goryeong Hyanggyo; Shin Tae-woon, Director of Goryeong Cultural Center; former Goryeong County Governors Lee Jin-hwan and Lee Tae-geun; Confucian leaders; and members of the Goryeong Studies Institute.

Governor Lee Nam-chul said, “I am pleased that through this academic conference and special exhibition on Master Hongwa, we have been able to shed new light on the modern Confucian scholar from Goryeong and the history of the independence movement in the Goryeong region. Moving forward, we will continue to systematically discover and modernize meaningful local materials through academic projects, aiming to grow as a world heritage city and a city of historical culture.”

The Confucian Culture Museum at the Korea Institute of Korean Studies, where the Hong Waseon Academic Conference and Special Exhibition were held.

The special exhibition will be held for five months from November 7th to March 3rd, 2024, at the Confucian Culture Museum’s planned exhibition hall of the Korea National Institute of Korean Studies.

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