Seongbuk-gu Hosts Exhibition Commemorating Month of Patriots and Veterans

Introducing Patriotic Activists Active in Seongbuk and Writers and Works Documenting the Korean War

Also Featuring '6·25 Sketches' by the Late Kim Seong-hwan, the 'Gobau Grandpa,' Who Lived in Jeongneung

Exhibition Held on the 1st Floor of Seongbuk-gu Office Until the End of This Month to Inspire Patriotic Spirit

Seongbuk-gu (Mayor Lee Seung-ro) is holding an exhibition on the 1st floor of the district office building until the end of this month to commemorate June, the Month of National Defense and Veterans, and to honor the spirit of patriotism.

Under the theme "We Will Not Forget," this exhibition honors the achievements of patriotic activists who were active in Seongbuk and widely shares the history related to the traces of the Korean War.

Specifically, the exhibition is composed of ▲ the meaning of Memorial Day ▲ patriotic activists of Seongbuk who must not be forgotten ▲ Seongbuk’s history recorded through paintings (by painter Kim Seong-hwan and the Korean War) ▲ writers and works from Seongbuk who documented the era of war ▲ and places in Seongbuk remembered through history.

There are about 130 patriotic activists who lived in Seongbuk. This exhibition introduces the achievements of Lee Eun-suk (李恩淑, 1889-1979), Ahn Jae-hong (安在鴻, 1891-1965), Choi Yong-deok (崔用德, 1898-1969), Yoo Woo-seok (1899-1968), Jo Hwa-byeok (1895-1975), Kim Ui-han (金毅煥, 1900-1951), and Jeong Jeong-hwa (鄭靖和, 1900-1991) to the residents.

The late Kim Seong-hwan (金星煥, 1932-2019), known as the 'Gobau Grandpa,' lived in Jeongneung-dong. His '6·25 Sketches' depict the horrors of war in areas such as Jeongneung-dong, Donam-dong, Wolgok-dong, and Mia Ridge during the Korean War, vividly showing the situation in the Seongbuk-gu area in the early days of the war.

The exhibition also introduces works by writers active in Seongbuk during the war era, including scholar Kim Seong-chil (金聖七, 1913-1951), poet Jo Ji-hoon (趙芝薰, 1920-1968), and writer Park Wan-seo (朴婉緖, 1931-2011). Their diaries, poems, and novels express repentance for the war and portray the daily lives of people striving to recover and preserve humanity amid harsh circumstances.

Historical sites bearing traces of the war are also introduced. Visitors can explore Mia-ri Ridge, where fierce battles took place during the Korean War, Jangsu Village, which became a postwar settlement, and the Jeongneung Reconstruction Housing.

Lee Seung-ro, Mayor of Seongbuk-gu, stated, “I hope this exhibition will provide an opportunity for residents to reflect on the footsteps of independence activists, scholars, painters, poets, writers, and patriotic spirits who lived in Seongbuk with patriotism during that era and to share history together.” He added, “Seongbuk-gu will continue to spare no administrative effort in preserving, promoting, and revitalizing the region’s historical and cultural resources.”