Gwangju Dong-gu Holds 'Tongil Manbo Event' Wishing for Korean Peninsula Unification

On the 25th at Mudeungsan Dongjeokgol... Memorial Event for the Late Captain Kim Hong-bin Also Held

Gwangju Dong-gu (Mayor Im Taek) held the 'Walking for Unification' Unification Manbo event at Mudeungsan Dongjeokgol on the 25th. Photo by Dong-gu Office

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Cho Hyung-joo] Dong-gu, Gwangju (Mayor Im Taek) announced on the 26th that it held the ‘Walking for Unification’ Unification Manbo event with Gwangju citizens at Mudeungsan Dongjeokgol on the 25th.

Co-hosted by Dong-gu, Gwangju of the Democratic Peaceful Unification Advisory Council, and ‘Tongil Manbo,’ this event was organized to spread awareness of peace and unification on the Korean Peninsula through walking and to commemorate the late Expedition Leader Kim Hong-bin, who suffered an accident during descent after summiting Broad Peak in the Himalayas last August.

The event was attended by Dong-gu Mayor Im Taek, Minister of Unification Lee In-young, National Assembly member Cho Oh-seop, and members of Tongil Manbo.

The ‘Tongil Manbo’ walk is a unification movement led by four civic groups including Gwangju YMCA and Gwangju Heungsadan, based in the Gwangju and Jeonnam regions for the past four years to form and spread a consensus on unification, and any Gwangju citizen can participate.

This walking event was conducted in strict compliance with quarantine rules such as social distancing, temperature checks, hand sanitizer availability, and mask-wearing. The first part was the Tongil Manbo walking event, starting from the parking lot at the entrance of Sujata in Unnim-dong, passing through the Danimgil trail at the foot of Mudeungsan and the Dongjeokgol foot-washing place, covering a round-trip section (4.2 km), and ending at the lawn square of the Mudeungsan National Geopark Visitor Center, making a total walking course of 6.7 km.

The second part was a memorial ceremony to commemorate the late Expedition Leader Kim Hong-bin at the lawn square of the Mudeungsan National Geopark Visitor Center.

Dong-gu Mayor Im Taek said, “I am honored to hold an event in Dong-gu to reaffirm the spirit of Gwangju along with the desire and will to practice democracy and unification,” adding, “I sincerely hope that the day of unification will come soon with the passionate steps of all citizens.”