[Interview] Ryoo Kyung-gi, Jungnang-gu Mayor: "We Will Develop Mangwoo History and Culture Park into a Global Treasure Beyond Korea"

Exhibition Hall and Gallery Cafe Included: 'Jungnang Mangwoo Space' Opens April 1... A Humanities-Enriched Space Featuring Lush Forests, Beautiful Trails, and Figures Who Shaped Modern Korean History

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] “Mangwoo Historical and Cultural Park has become a representative landmark of the Republic of Korea. This place, called Mangwoo (忘憂) because King Taejo Yi Seong-gye chose his tomb here after his death and said, ‘Now I can forget my worries,’ was a communal cemetery with tens of thousands of graves from 1933 to 1973 for 40 years. More than 50 years later, Mangwoo Historical and Cultural Park has been reborn as a space imbued with humanistic value, where visitors can enjoy dense forests, beautiful walking trails, and meet figures who led Korea’s modern and contemporary history.”

Ryu Gyeong-gi, Mayor of Jungnang-gu, announced that the ‘Jungnang Mangwoo Space,’ equipped with exhibition rooms and a gallery cafe, will open on April 1.

At Jungnang Mangwoo Park, more than 80 pioneers who led Korea’s modern and contemporary history, including independence activists Han Yong-un, Oh Se-chang, Moon Il-pyeong, and Bang Jeong-hwan, as well as Ji Seok-young, Lee Jung-seop, and Park In-hwan, rest together in one place.

Mayor Ryu emphasized the significance by saying, “It is impossible to discuss Korea’s modern and contemporary history without mentioning those who rest in Mangwoo Historical and Cultural Park.”

Jungnang-gu received management rights of Mangwoo Park from Seoul City in July 2020 to develop it into a historical and cultural park with dense forests, pleasant walking trails, and famous figures from modern and contemporary history. In July last year, the dedicated department, Mangwoo Park Division, was established to focus administrative efforts.

In particular, the ‘Jungnang Mangwoo Space,’ a key facility for creating the historical and cultural park, will open on April 1, offering various attractions such as planned exhibitions. On the opening day, the program will proceed in order with a powerful traditional drum performance, choir performance, hibiscus tree planting, congratulatory videos from residents, and a large brush calligraphy performance. Additionally, the first-floor lobby will feature a media exhibition on the transformation of Mangwoo, and the second-floor exhibition room will display personal belongings and materials of eight independence activists who were awarded the Order of Merit for National Foundation, including Yu Gwan-sun, Ahn Chang-ho, Han Yong-un, and Bang Jeong-hwan, who rest in Mangwoo Historical and Cultural Park.

The Jungnang Mangwoo Space covers a total floor area of 1,247㎡ (377 pyeong) over two above-ground floors and includes amenities such as a cafe, restrooms, and parking lot, as well as an observatory, promotional and exhibition halls, and an education room, intended to be used as a place for historical and cultural education.

Mayor Ryu explained, “We are preparing an all-in-one tour that includes guided tours of the Jungnang Mangwoo Space facilities and exhibitions, as well as graveyard exploration. We also plan youth experience programs linked to school field trips.”

With the opening of Jungnang Mangwoo Space, which will become a landmark of the park, visitors are expected to enjoy the site more comfortably and conveniently, and interest in the numerous historical figures resting there will increase.

The BI (Brand Identity) of Mangwoo Historical and Cultural Park has also been newly created. It symbolizes the initial consonants of the existing place name Mangwoo and the coniferous trees of Mangwoo Mountain, representing ‘Jungnang Mangwoo Space, the sun of Mangwoo Mountain where the first sunrise in Seoul can be seen, and the park’s paths and forests containing stories of historical figures.’

The ‘Eternal Memory Volunteer Group,’ in which residents manage the graves of famous modern and contemporary figures buried in Mangwoo Historical and Cultural Park on a one-to-one basis, is also very active. The volunteer group manages the graves of more than 80 modern and contemporary historical figures buried in the park and plays a role in widely publicizing their legacies. It consists of 77 organizations and a total of 368 members.

Among them, 12 organizations and 82 members who have been particularly active and contributed significantly were selected, and in November last year, Mayor Ryu Gyeong-gi presented them with certificates of appreciation to encourage and thank the volunteers for their efforts.

Mayor Ryu stated, “To establish this as a sustainable resident-led project, we will further expand volunteer participation and strengthen their capabilities as professional volunteers through education on basic knowledge and historical awareness of the figures buried in the park.”

Additionally, the district is promoting the ‘Famous Figures’ Grave Memory Space Project.’ This involves improving access roads and aging facilities around the graves of Kwon Jin-gyu, Park In-hwan, Bang Jeong-hwan, and Ahn Chang-ho, and adding various symbolic elements with historical significance such as memorial stones, information boards, annals stones, and QR codes around the grave sites.

In particular, the joint grave site of martyr Yu Gwan-sun is continuously maintained with deck expansion, installation of bulletin boards and flower offering stands, and exhibition of memorial letters, with annual memorial events held.

Furthermore, Mangwoo Historical and Cultural Park has been implemented on a metaverse platform (virtual space), providing various content such as seasonal landscapes, tours of famous figures’ graves and the park, and games, which has increased interest among young people.

To make it more convenient for the increasing number of park visitors to come and go, the district has established and operated the Mangwoo Historical and Cultural Park bus stop since September last year. Previously, there was no bus stop near the park entrance, causing residents to walk a long distance after getting off the bus.

Accordingly, since 2018, the district has been reviewing the installation of a bus stop and, after long consultations with Seoul City, Guri City and Namyangju City in Gyeonggi Province, and the National Police Agency, established the bus stop. The bus lines stopping there include Seoul city bus 201 and Gyeonggi Namyangju buses 165, 166-1, 202, and 65, totaling five lines.

Mayor Ryu Gyeong-gi of Jungnang-gu said, “Mangwoo Historical and Cultural Park is a history museum of Korea and a precious resource with 250,000 pyeong of dense forest and a 5.2 km walking trail, unprecedented even globally. Going forward, we will develop this place into a living space in harmony with nature, a healing space to forget life’s worries, and a historical space to reflect on the past and move forward, nurturing it into a global treasure beyond Korea.”