Dobong-gu Kim Geuntae Memorial Library to Open in June

Dobong-gu Signs Agreement on Operation of Kim Geun-tae Memorial Library... Kim Geun-tae Memorial Library to Open in June as a Multifunctional Cultural Space Combining Library, Museum, and Archive

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Dobong-gu (Mayor Dongjin Lee) has signed a business agreement for the free use of the late Kim Geun-tae's archival materials.

The signing ceremony held at 11 a.m. on the 20th was attended by a minimal number of people, including representatives from the Kim Geun-tae Foundation for Peace and Coexistence on the Korean Peninsula (hereafter Kim Geun-tae Foundation) and representatives of the late Kim Geun-tae's bereaved family, considering the COVID-19 situation.

This agreement was promoted to establish a collaborative foundation for the smooth operation of the Kim Geun-tae Memorial Library, scheduled to open in June in the area of 279 Dobong-dong.

According to the agreement, the district will use 15,979 archival materials related to Kim Geun-tae and 15 art pieces and other collections owned by the Kim Geun-tae Foundation and the bereaved family free of charge.

They also promised to mutually cooperate in the collection and utilization of materials necessary for the operation of the library.

Kim Geun-tae (1947?2011) was a symbolic figure in South Korea's democratization movement, serving as a member of the 15th to 17th National Assembly and Minister of Health and Welfare. Notably, from September 4 to 26, 1985, he endured severe torture by Inspector Lee Geun-an at the Namyeong-dong Police Station's interrogation room for 23 days but never wavered in his commitment to democratization. He was awarded the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award in 1987 and was selected as a world conscience prisoner by the Hamburg Foundation in Germany in 1988.

The Kim Geun-tae Memorial Library will be constructed with one basement floor, three above-ground floors, and a total floor area of 1,662㎡.

The district plans to operate the Kim Geun-tae Memorial Library as a complex cultural space that functions not only as a library but also as an archive and museum preserving and exhibiting various records related to democracy. It will serve as a creative, imaginative, and communicative learning and sharing space connecting information and people.