Mayor Donghwan Lee Hopes for Opportunity to Envision Future Hope Through Historical Memory

Goyang City Opens Special Exhibition for the 80th Anniversary of Liberation
"Restoration of Light, from Gobong to Deokyang" Begins
Showcasing Goyang's History and Culture Connecting Past and Present

Goyang Special City in Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Donghwan Lee) announced on the 6th that it successfully held the opening ceremony of the special exhibition commemorating the 80th anniversary of Liberation Day, "Restoration of Light, from Gobong to Deokyang," on the 2nd, as part of a Gyeonggi Province public contest project.

Donghwan Lee, mayor of Goyang Special City (fifth from the left), is cutting the tape at the opening ceremony of the special exhibition commemorating the 80th anniversary of Liberation Day, "Restoration of Light, from Gobong to Deokyang," held on the 2nd. Provided by Goyang Special City

In February, Gyeonggi Province held a public contest for cultural and artistic projects that shed light on historical identity and the value of the independence movement, aiming to reinterpret the meaning of Liberation in a modern context and make history more accessible to residents.

The opening ceremony was attended by many citizens, as well as key figures including Donghwan Lee, mayor of Goyang, members of the Goyang City Council, the head of the Goyang branch of the Liberation Association, descendants of independence activists, and local cultural and artistic officials, making it a meaningful occasion.

The exhibition highlights traces of the independence movement in the Goyang region during the Japanese colonial period and reinterprets the "meaning of Liberation" in a modern context through the cultural legacy of local artists.

Artifacts and works related to prominent Goyang independence activists such as Kim Ik-sang, Jang Hyo-geun, and Park Ja-hye are on display, and visitors can also encounter representations of various local independence activists created using artificial intelligence (AI).

Lee Donghwan, mayor of Goyang Special City, is listening to an official explain the artworks of the special exhibition commemorating the 80th anniversary of Liberation Day on the 2nd. Provided by Goyang Special City

In particular, this exhibition features Braille guide panels and PosArt tactile description boards for important artifacts to enhance convenience and understanding for visually impaired visitors.

The PosArt exhibits were produced and designed by POSCO Steelion and the specialized company Godam Co., Ltd., with Braille translation assistance from social worker Ryoo Youngtae of the Gyeonggi-do Welfare Center for the Visually Impaired. The PosArt method, which allows visitors to physically touch artifacts and artworks, received an enthusiastic response from children and citizens alike.

The exhibition runs until the 24th (closed every Monday) in the first and second floor galleries of the Goyang Eoullim Art Museum, and is organized into sections such as: traces of the anti-Japanese movement in Goyang, the lives of independence activists from Goyang, and the history of culture and arts in Goyang after Liberation, which blossomed through art.

Mayor Donghwan Lee said, "On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of Liberation, I hope that children on their summer break will take this opportunity to reflect on the history of Goyang and Liberation, and to envision hope for the future through historical memory and cultural values."

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