Mapo-gu Joins Hands with Kim Dae-jung Foundation to Actively Promote Preservation of Donggyo-dong Residence

Park Gang-su, Mayor of Mapo-gu, who learned politics from former President Kim Dae-jung, meets with Kim Dae-jung Foundation officials including Kwon No-gap and Moon Hee-sang to discuss preserving the private residence... Formation of a Preservation Committee and active promotion of purchase and preservation plans announced

Mapo-gu, Seoul (Mayor Park Gang-su) is making every effort to devise measures to preserve the late President Kim Dae-jung's Donggyo-dong residence and to leave it as a national heritage.

On November 11, 2024, Kwon No-gap, Chairman of the Kim Dae-jung Foundation, Moon Hee-sang, Vice Chairman, and Bae Gi-seon, Secretary General, visited the mayor's office at Mapo-gu Office.

In response, Park Gang-su, Mayor of Mapo-gu, held in-depth discussions with the foundation officials regarding the preservation of the late President Kim Dae-jung's residence, expressing his intention to promptly form a preservation promotion committee in cooperation with the Kim Dae-jung Foundation and actively pursue preservation measures such as purchasing the residence.

Along with this, Mapo-gu has been steadily working to preserve the historical value of President Kim Dae-jung's residence.

On October 21, 2024, Mayor Park personally visited the National Heritage Agency to urge the designation of the Donggyo-dong residence as a temporary national registered cultural heritage site, and subsequently launched the 'Protect the Residence Challenge,' garnering interest and consensus from local residents and political figures.

Park Gang-su, Mayor of Mapo District (second from the left), received a visit on the 11th from Kwon No-gap, Chairman of the Kim Dae-jung Foundation, Moon Hee-sang, Vice Chairman, and Baek Ki-seon, Secretary General, to discuss the restoration of former President Kim Dae-jung's residence.

He also met with the purchaser of the residence to discuss registration as a national registered cultural heritage site, emphasizing the historical significance and importance of preserving the residence.

In response, the purchaser deeply sympathized with Mapo-gu's efforts and determination to preserve the residence and expressed willingness to cooperate with the registration as a national registered cultural heritage site. On October 30, 2024, the purchaser visited Mapo-gu and submitted the owner's consent form for cultural heritage registration.

Furthermore, on November 20, 2024, the district is promoting various support projects such as the naming ceremony of Kim Dae-jung-gil Honorary Road and installation of information boards at Kim Dae-jung Peace Park, leading the creation of a commemorative space to widely publicize the late President Kim Dae-jung's will and achievements.

Park Gang-su, Mayor of Mapo-gu, stated, "The values of democracy and peace through reconciliation and forgiveness demonstrated by the late President Kim Dae-jung are important heritage that our society must remember and inherit together," adding, "Mapo-gu will work closely with the Kim Dae-jung Foundation to honor his will and achievements and do its best to make the Donggyo-dong residence a place that all citizens can share."

Mayor Park Gang-su's passion for restoring former President Kim Dae-jung's Donggyo-dong residence is also interpreted as stemming from his connection to Kim, the first Korean Nobel Peace Prize laureate, from whom he learned politics.