Traces of the 'Leader Who Amazed the World in Less Than 20 Years' Finally Gathered... 'Park Chung-hee Museum' Opens in Gumi, Gyeongbuk

'Park Chung-hee Presidential Historical Museum' Promoted for 7 Years Around Park Chung-hee President's Birthplace

Park Chung-hee Presidential Historical Archives.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] The ‘Park Chung-hee Presidential Museum’ opened on the 28th in Sangmo-dong, Gumi-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do.

It was announced that the construction of the ‘Park Chung-hee Presidential Historical Archive,’ which had been promoted for seven years around the birthplace of President Park Chung-hee in Gyeongsangbuk-do, was completed and the opening ceremony was held on this day.

About 40 people attended the opening ceremony, including Governor Lee Cheol-woo, National Assembly members Koo Ja-geun and Kim Young-sik, Gumi Mayor Jang Se-yong, City Council Chairman Kim Jae-sang, and Chairman Jwa Seung-hee of the Park Chung-hee Presidential Foundation.

The opening ceremony proceeded in the order of a pre-ceremony string performance, progress report, presentation of appreciation plaques, ribbon cutting, and a tour of the historical archive.

The historical archive was promoted following a proposal by the chairman of the Birthplace Preservation Association when the ‘National Assembly East-West Harmony Forum,’ a group of lawmakers from Gyeongbuk and Jeonnam, visited President Park Chung-hee’s birthplace in 2014.

Construction began in November 2017, with a preliminary opening at the end of June this year, registration as a first-class specialized museum on September 17, and now the official opening.

The historical archive, built at a total project cost of 15.9 billion KRW on a site of 6,164㎡ with a total floor area of 4,358.98㎡ across three floors, consists of a permanent planning exhibition hall, storage, archive room, seminar room, and more.

The permanent exhibition hall displays 5,649 personal effects of the president entrusted to Gumi by the Park Chung-hee Presidential Foundation in 2004, as well as 895 materials related to modern industrial development.

The entrusted personal effects mainly include gifts received from foreign heads of state and domestic and international institutions, as well as personal items directly used in the Blue House.

Under the main theme of ‘The Path to National Modernization,’ it introduces achievements and the process of modern development during his tenure, including ▷Inauguration as the 3rd Republic President ▷Introduction of foreign capital ▷Five-year economic development plans ▷Development of heavy and chemical industries ▷Achievement of $10 billion in exports.

The planning exhibition hall is hosting a special exhibition commemorating the National Sports Festival with the theme ‘Korean Sports Illuminated by Passion,’ showcasing international sports competitions.

The storage room is equipped with paulownia wood storage racks effective for pest control and maintains optimal conditions with 24-hour temperature and humidity control. It is designed as an open storage room so that President Park Chung-hee’s personal effects can be viewed from outside as well.

There is an archive room where various books can be read, a caf? where simple beverages can be enjoyed, and a rooftop garden.

Surrounding the historical archive are President Park’s birthplace, a statue of President Park Chung-hee, and the Saemaul Undong Theme Park, making it a promising historical and cultural space and tourist attraction.

Governor Lee Cheol-woo of Gyeongbuk said, “We have created an opportunity to widely promote President Park’s philosophy and achievements, who achieved an economic leap that amazed the world in less than 20 years, both domestically and internationally,” adding, “We will ensure it becomes a living educational site for Korea’s modern history.”