Gangwon-do Yeongwol, Special Exhibition on Mining Materials 'The Power of Records, Mines' Opens

Until the End of February Next Year... Exhibition of Rare Photos and Materials Related to Mining and Mineral Resources
40 Items Including Early 1930s Yeongwol Coal Mine Tunnel Photos Revealed for the First Time in Korea

Yeongwol-gun, Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province (Governor Choi Myeong-seo) announced on the 4th that the special exhibition of mining-related archival materials, "The Power of Records, Mines," which showcases the history of Korea's coal industry at a glance and held its opening ceremony on the 1st in celebration of Yeongwol County Residents' Day, will continue until the end of February next year. (Hosted by Yeongwol Cultural Tourism Foundation)

The special exhibition of archival materials related to mining, "The Power of Records, Mines," which showcases the history of South Korea's coal industry at a glance, held its opening ceremony on the 1st in Yeongwol-gun, Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province. This exhibition will run until the end of February next year.

The opening ceremony of the exhibition, co-hosted by the Yeongwol Cultural Tourism Foundation's Cultural City Center and Arirang Archive on the 1st, was attended by Yeongwol County Governor Choi Myeong-seo, Kim Dae-gyeong, Vice Chairman of Yeongwol County Council, council members, provincial assembly members, and the Cultural City Citizen Record Group.

This special exhibition was prepared as a cultural city project to look back on the history of coal mine development, which was the driving force of Korea's industrial growth and the fuel for ordinary people, through important documents by period, wall-sized explanations, and videos, and to consider how to preserve and utilize the remaining heritage of coal industry documents and records.

The special exhibition of mining-related archival materials, "The Power of Records, Mines," which offers a comprehensive view of the history of South Korea's coal industry, held its opening ceremony on the 1st in Yeongwol-gun, Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province. This exhibition will run until the end of February next year.

Additionally, about 180 mining documents from various periods, including the "Resource Survey Table" showing the distribution and scale of mines in Korea during the Japanese colonial period, and the unpublished English printed report "Mineral Resources of Korea" by David Gallagher in January 1946 introducing mineral resources and representative mines of each province in Korea, as well as original and translated copies of the 1950s U.S. investigations of the Yeongwol, Hambak, and Danyang coal fields, all held by Arirang Archive, are being showcased in large numbers.

Especially, about 40 black-and-white photos, including early 1930s photos of Yeongwol coal mine tunnel excavation, the electric trolley tunnel completion ceremony, the old appearance of Pangyo tunnel, the village of Machari, Japanese residents of Machari, and the mining area’s entertainment houses, are being publicly exhibited for the first time in Korea. These materials were discovered in Japan in 2009 by Jin Yong-seon, CEO of Arirang Archive.

The special exhibition of mining-related archival materials, "The Power of Records, Mines," which showcases the history of South Korea's coal industry at a glance, held its opening ceremony on the 1st in Yeongwol-gun, Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province. This exhibition will run until the end of February next year.

The exhibition highlights "The Power of Records" and "Mines." The exhibition is composed of four parts of archival material displays and two parts of archive photo exhibitions.

Part 1, , offers a glimpse into the history of coal from the oldest records in the Three Kingdoms period to the late Joseon period coal industry, the enactment of mining laws during the Japanese colonial era, and the monopolization and exploitation of mining rights by Japan through documents.

Part 2, , showcases the history of Yeongwol Machari Yeongwol Coal Mine, which holds a very important position in Korea’s coal industry history.

Part 3, , highlights the development history of Korea’s coal industry, which has been a key driver of national growth for over half a century.

Part 4, , sheds light on the lives of mining village people through literary works and films set in mining towns.

Exiting the archival material exhibition through a door resembling a mine tunnel leads to the "Memory and Records" photo exhibition. Part 1, "Remembering," displays about 40 photos showing the old appearance of Yeongwol Mining Site and Machari.

Part 2, "Recording," presents 45 photos documenting the activities of last year’s Cultural City Yeongwol Citizen Record Group in publishing "Memories of Sangdong Mining Site" and the ongoing Yeongwol Mining Site recording project.

Jin Yong-seon, CEO of Arirang Archive and overall curator of the exhibition, stated, "Mines are not just abandoned sites but heritage that can create greater value through discovering and utilizing records."

At the opening ceremony on the 1st, Governor Choi Myeong-seo said, "This exhibition will gift old memories to Yeongwol residents and prepare Yeongwol for a second mining revival as a 'cultural mine' with the goal of transforming from a coal mine to a cultural mine."