▲ Citizens wave the Korean national flag in front of Gyeonggyojang in support of the anti-trusteeship movement in 1946 in this photo provided by the Seoul Museum of History. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE)(Yonhap)

 

SEOUL, July 31 (Yonhap) -- An exhibition highlighting the life and independence movement legacy of Korean independence leader Kim Gu (1876-1949) will open next month to mark the 150th anniversary of his birth, the Cultural Heritage Administration said Friday.

 

The exhibition, titled "Baekbeom Kim Gu, Becoming a Value of the World," will be held from Aug. 4 to 30 at Gyeonggyojang in Jongno-gu, Seoul, in cooperation with the Seoul Museum of History.

 

The exhibition commemorates Kim's birthday on Aug. 29, 1876, while exploring the historical significance of Gyeonggyojang, where he spent his final years and where traces of the Korean Provisional Government remain.

 

Visitors will be able to learn about Kim's move to Gyeonggyojang after Korea's liberation in 1945, as well as his efforts with leaders of the provisional government to consider the nation's future during the turbulent post-liberation period.

 

The exhibition also introduces key moments from his time at Gyeonggyojang, including the writing of his essay "My Wish," in which he emphasized the power of culture, and his participation in the 1948 Inter-Korean Joint Conference in Pyongyang in an effort to prevent national division.

 

"The exhibition will provide a special opportunity to reflect on the historical significance of Gyeonggyojang and Kim Gu's ideas of peace and culture," a Cultural Heritage Administration official said.

 

Admission is free, and the exhibition is closed every Monday.

 

According to the Cultural Heritage Administration, Gyeonggyojang served as Kim's office and residence from his return from China in 1945 until his assassination on June 26, 1949.

 

Designed by Kim Se-yeon (1897-1975), one of the pioneers of modern Korean architecture, the building is regarded as an important example of 1930s architectural techniques and was designated a historical site in 2005.

[ⓒ K-VIBE. 무단전재-재배포 금지]