Ministry of Unification Postpones Opening of 'Nambuk Integrated Culture Center' Due to COVID-19 to After April

Complex Cultural Space for Promoting Communication Between South and North Korean Residents

Yeosang-gi, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Unification

The opening ceremony of the 'South-North Integrated Cultural Center,' originally scheduled for the end of March, has been postponed to after the end of April due to the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19). The South-North Integrated Cultural Center is a complex cultural space aimed at communication and harmony between North Korean defectors and local residents.

On the 24th, Yeo Sang-gi, spokesperson for the Ministry of Unification, stated at a regular briefing held at the Government Seoul Office, "We had been preparing for the opening of the South-North Integrated Cultural Center at the end of March, but considering COVID-19 related circumstances and the schedule for program preparation, the opening date has been rescheduled to after the end of April."

It appears that it was judged difficult to hold events attracting crowds, such as the opening ceremony and internal programs, amid the upgrade of the infectious disease crisis alert related to COVID-19 to 'severe' and the ongoing spread.

The South-North Integrated Cultural Center, completed on November 30 last year in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, involved construction costs of 23.8 billion KRW.

The center plans to activate communication between South and North residents, provide comprehensive cultural life support for North Korean defectors, conduct integrated cultural experience education, and support various social integration education programs to improve mutual awareness between South and North residents, as well as the production and dissemination of related cultural content.

Meanwhile, spokesperson Yeo stated that there has been no significant progress in South-North quarantine cooperation related to COVID-19.