Minister Choi Hwi-young Inspects Asian Cultural Hub City Project... Visits Former Jeonnam Provincial Government Building

On March 26, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Choi Hwi-young visited Gwangju Metropolitan City to inspect the site of the Asian Cultural Hub City development project.

After attending the appointment ceremony for the 9th Asian Cultural Hub City Development Committee under the President, Minister Choi plans to visit the key sites of the project, including the former Jeonnam Provincial Government Building and the National Asia Culture Center, to hear various on-site opinions and discuss support measures.

Minister Choi will first pay tribute at the National May 18 Democratic Cemetery and then present appointment certificates to the civilian members of the 9th Committee at the National Asia Culture Center. Marking the end of a three-year hiatus, the committee will officially launch with this ceremony.

The Asian Cultural Hub City development project, which began in 2004, has moved beyond the foundational 1.0 phase and the 2.0 era, where content creation and production were vitalized with the National Asia Culture Center as a hub. Now, it is entering the "Asian Cultural Hub City 3.0" era, which aims to deliver tangible results and establish a sustainable operational system. The committee will play a coordinating and supporting role, leveraging the experience and expertise of its members, to help Gwangju establish itself as a leading cultural center in Asia.

Following the appointment ceremony, Minister Choi will visit the former Jeonnam Provincial Government Building, which is being operated on a pilot basis ahead of its official opening in May, to inspect exhibition content and facilities. The restoration of the former Jeonnam Provincial Government Building is a symbolic project to fully revive the final stronghold of the May 18 Democratization Movement and to culturally pass down the values of democracy, peace, and human rights embodied in the May spirit to future generations. Construction began in 2023, was completed in January this year, and pilot operations started on February 28. The pilot phase will run until April 5, after which the official opening is scheduled for May. During the pilot operation, the Restoration Promotion Team will collect feedback from experts, media, and visitors, and will make step-by-step improvements to ensure a smooth official opening. Minister Choi also plans to meet with the "Restoration Guardians" mothers, to express gratitude for their contributions to the restoration efforts and to listen to their feedback.

Minister Choi will also visit local cultural and artistic sites. At the National Asia Culture Center (ACC), he will attend artist Lee Jungki's "Translated Virtuality" exhibition to encourage those involved. Lee Jungki was selected through the "2026 ACC NEWST Artist Contest," which the National Asia Culture Center organized for artists active in the Gwangju and Jeonnam regions. The exhibition is being held in Multipurpose Exhibition Hall 7, a space established in response to ongoing requests from the local arts community. The National Asia Culture Center plans to use this space as a stable base to support the creation and exhibition activities of local artists.

Minister Choi stated, "The new launch of the 9th Committee, the restoration of the former Jeonnam Provincial Government Building imbued with the noble spirit of May 18, and the leap forward of the National Asia Culture Center as a cultural powerhouse all demonstrate Gwangju's tremendous cultural strength. I will review the current issues and act swiftly so that the Asian Cultural Hub City development project can take a leap forward and Gwangju can firmly establish itself as the cultural hub of Asia."

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