Governor Kim Deokhyun: "Yeoncheon Must Become a Hub of Peace... World Peace Culture and Arts Center Should Be Established"

Kim Deokhyun Urges Presidential Candidates to Build the "World Peace Culture and Arts Center" in Yeoncheon
Representatives from All Sectors of Yeoncheon Join the Call

On May 28, Kim Deokhyun, Governor of Yeoncheon County, issued a statement urging the candidates of the 21st presidential election to commit to establishing the "World Peace Culture and Arts Center" in Yeoncheon County.

Kim Deokhyun, Yeoncheon County Governor (third from the left), announced a statement on the 28th urging the candidates of the 21st presidential election to establish the "World Peace Culture and Arts Center" in Yeoncheon County. Photo by Yeoncheon County

The statement was delivered together with representatives from various sectors of Yeoncheon County and reflected a strong determination to develop Yeoncheon into a hub of peace and culture.

In his statement, Governor Kim said, "Yeoncheon is a border region that has endured sacrifices for national security since the division of the Korean Peninsula," and added, "Now, it must transform from a neglected frontier into a region that symbolizes peace on the Korean Peninsula." He further emphasized, "The World Peace Culture and Arts Center will heal conflicts through culture and the arts, and become a venue for peace visited by people from all over the world."

Governor Kim particularly stressed that the center is not merely a local development project but a bold vision for the future of the nation, strongly urging, "Each presidential candidate should include this in their pledges and ensure it is adopted as a national agenda item by the next administration."

He also asserted, "The World Peace Culture and Arts Center, to be built on a 1 million square meter site in Mapo-ri, Jeongok-eup, will heal conflicts through culture and the arts, and become a venue for peace visited not only by global artists but also by people from around the world."

Additionally, he emphasized, "To respond to new era threats such as the climate crisis, infectious diseases, and cultural conflicts, we need a peace platform that goes beyond traditional military security," and stated, "Exchange through culture and the arts is a new form of security and the key to opening the future."

In its statement, Yeoncheon County projected that if the World Peace Culture and Arts Center is realized, it will achieve significant results in three areas: resolving the aspirations of residents in border regions and revitalizing the local economy as a driver of balanced national development; implementing non-traditional security through culture and the arts; and enhancing the status of both Korea and Yeoncheon as a global sanctuary of peace visited by people from around the world.

Governor Kim Deokhyun stated, "This initiative is not simply a local development plan, but a bold national vision for the future of the Korean Peninsula," and earnestly requested, "I strongly urge the presidential candidates to include this in their pledges and ensure its realization by the next administration."

In addition to Governor Kim Deokhyun, the statement was joined by Kim Mikyung, Chairperson of the Yeoncheon County Council; Park Youngcheol, Vice Chairperson of the Yeoncheon County Council; Lim Dalsu, President of the Yeoncheon County Village Leaders' Association; Yang Sujeong, President of the Yeoncheon County Residents' Autonomy Association; and Min Jaejeong, President of the Yeoncheon Unification Future Forum and also President of the Central Council for Peace and Unification on the Korean Peninsula.

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