Mayor Cho Kyuil Visits Ministry of Culture, Proposes Key Projects Including Jinju Hall Construction

Full Commitment to the Construction of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Jinju Hall

Cho Kyuil, Mayor of Jinju in South Gyeongsang Province, is making every effort to promote the construction of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Jinju Hall, including visits to the National Assembly, the National Museum of Korea, and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

According to the city of Jinju on September 22, Mayor Cho visited the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to meet with First Vice Minister Kim Youngsoo and other officials, advocating for the construction of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Jinju Hall, which will serve as a key component in expanding cultural infrastructure in the southern region.

During the meeting, Mayor Cho Kyuil explained the necessity and justification for urgent projects such as the construction of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Jinju Hall and the establishment of the Western Gyeongnam Music Creation Center. He requested active support from the government for these initiatives.

Mayor Cho Gyuil is visiting the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to propose urgent projects including the construction of Jinju Hall.

The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Jinju Hall is planned to be built on the relocation site of the current National Jinju Museum within Jinju Fortress, aiming to guarantee cultural access in the southern region and promote balanced regional development. In April 2023, a feasibility study commissioned by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism was completed with 200 million won in government funding. Mayor Cho proposed that the Ministry should proceed with the basic and detailed design in 2026.

The Western Gyeongnam Music Creation Center project is also being pursued to address the imbalance of cultural infrastructure concentrated in eastern Gyeongnam and to support creative activities of local musicians. The center is planned for construction in Jinyang Lake Park, Panmun-dong, Jinju, and Mayor Cho requested 2 billion won in national funding to ensure its establishment and setup by 2026.

On September 3, Mayor Cho visited the National Assembly to meet with local lawmakers, and on September 5, he met with Yoo Hongjun, Director of the National Museum of Korea, strongly requesting cooperation for the construction of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Jinju Hall. These efforts demonstrate his strong commitment to the project. The city of Jinju plans to continue visiting central government agencies and the National Assembly to secure national funding for these projects.

Mayor Cho Kyuil stated, "As a hub city for transportation, culture, arts, and education in the southern region, Jinju's construction of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Jinju Hall and the Music Creation Center will expand cultural opportunities for residents and further elevate Jinju's status as a cultural city. In particular, the Jinju Hall can utilize the relocation site and building of the National Jinju Museum within Jinju Fortress, making it possible to proceed with a relatively modest budget."

In response, First Vice Minister Kim Youngsoo said, "Since the feasibility study for the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Jinju Hall has been completed, we are well aware of Jinju City's efforts from the perspective of balanced cultural development, and we fully recognize the necessity of the project. We appreciate Jinju's active interest in cultural access and development, including museums and art galleries, and will consider promoting the project to address cultural imbalances in the southern region."

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