Uiryeong-gun Launches Full-Scale Baeksan An Hee-je Sanctuary Project

Support for Documentary Film Production on 'Baeksan'
December 10 Theater Release

Uiryeong-gun, Gyeongnam Province, is actively promoting the sanctification project of Baeksan An Hee-je (1885?1943), a representative local independence activist.

Since last year, various projects have been underway, including the production of a documentary film and webtoon commemorating the 80th anniversary of his passing, preparations for the opening of the large-scale ‘Baeksan Memorial Hall’ equipped with exhibition, experience, and lodging facilities, and maintenance of memorial facilities and monuments.

Baksan An Hee-je Nara Sarang Neoreun Madang. Provided by Uiryeong-gun

The starting point of this large-scale sanctification project is that Baeksan An Hee-je’s contributions to the independence movement have been significantly undervalued.

This November, the county completed the ‘Baeksan Nara Sarang Neoreunmadang’ (Baeksan Country Love Wide Yard), which embodies the entirety of the ‘Baeksan Spirit.’ The facility was established in the Ipsan-ri area of Burim-myeon with a project budget of 5 billion KRW, including national and provincial funds. The facility covers a total floor area of 932.3㎡ and includes exhibition, experience, and lodging facilities.

Here, visitors can experience the independence movement not just through simple, flat exhibitions of Baeksan’s life and achievements, but through immersive content using the latest technologies such as virtual reality (VR). A guest room and seminar room will be used to operate residential education programs that awaken love for the country and the spirit of independence.

Baeksan An Hee-je Nara Sarang Neoreun Madang. Provided by Uiryeong-gun

The ‘Baeksan Nara Sarang Neoreunmadang’ is currently finishing the final exhibition design construction and will open in the first half of next year after finalizing its operation plan.

On December 10, a documentary film about Baeksan An Hee-je’s life and independence movement history will be released nationwide in theaters such as Megabox Seoul COEX.

The film ‘Baeksan ? From Balhae to Uiryeong,’ produced with support from Uiryeong-gun to reexamine the 80th anniversary of his passing, held its first screening in August at the Uibyeong Museum and boasts high quality, having been awarded ‘Program of the Month’ by the Korea Communications Commission.

Last year, Uiryeong-gun was selected for the ‘Regional Specialized Content Development Support Project’ organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and produced a webtoon about An Hee-je’s story.

The webtoon ‘Meeting Given by Heaven,’ currently popular and serialized on KakaoPage, interestingly depicts the life stories of two great figures?An Hee-je traveling through time to meet General Gwak Jae-woo and growing together?transcending time and space.

The project to cultivate the Baeksan An Hee-je Memorial Monument and Memorial Park in Dongdong-ri, the center of Uiryeong-gun, is also in full progress. Flowers and trees are being planted to improve the park environment, the monument is being cleaned, regular weeding is conducted, and drainage maintenance around the monument has been completed to prevent flood damage caused by heavy rains.

County Governor Oh Tae-wan said, “An Hee-je’s status and role at the time were so solid that Kim Gu advised independence activists to ‘trust and seek help from Baeksan like a parent when facing difficulties in funding or other matters.’ It is very regrettable that he has been regarded as an independence activist who did not receive much attention compared to his activities. Reevaluating the figure of Baeksan An Hee-je is essential to understanding the true nature of Korea’s independence movement.”

Governor Oh added, “Baeksan is not a figure to be casually heard once in Korean history class and then forgotten. Few people have engaged in independence activities across various fields such as education, business, media, and religion both domestically and abroad for over 30 years. For future generations, the teacher’s desperate and noble patriotism must rightfully be realized in his hometown of Uiryeong.”

He continued, “Beyond this 80th anniversary, as we prepare for the 100th anniversary of his martyrdom, we will inherit and promote Baeksan’s noble spirit, which inspires the strength to rise again in moments of crisis, to the people.”