Construction of Gyeonggi Province Independence Hall Gains Momentum... Outline to Be Revealed by February Next Year

Gyeonggi Province, marking the 80th anniversary of Liberation this year, has decided to construct a provincial-level "Gyeonggi Province Independence Hall" and has launched a comprehensive master plan research project.

The province announced on the 21st that it recently held a kick-off briefing for the research project on the construction of the Gyeonggi Province Independence Hall, attended by Han Si-jun, former Director of the Independence Hall of Korea, Kim Byung-ki, former President of the Liberation Association Academy, and Kim Ho-dong, Head of the Gyeonggi Branch of the Liberation Association.

This research project aims to establish concrete implementation measures for the construction of the Independence Hall. It will cover the vision and objectives of the Independence Hall, site selection and scale, spatial composition, core content, total project cost, and future operational plans.

Participants advised that the Gyeonggi Province Independence Hall should be created as a convergence space that inspires and engages future generations, rather than focusing solely on record-oriented exhibitions. They also emphasized the need to differentiate it from other independence halls and to highlight the symbolic significance of Gyeonggi Province's independence movement history.

The research project will be conducted over approximately 10 months, from April this year to February next year, and will be used as reference material for preliminary evaluations and investment reviews for the construction of public museums in the future.

Kim Hana, Director of Welfare at Gyeonggi Province, stated, "The Gyeonggi Province Independence Hall will systematically organize the history of the independence movement in Gyeonggi Province and serve as a commemorative space to properly honor independence activists and patriotic martyrs. Through the commencement of this project, we will thoroughly prepare to ensure that the Gyeonggi Province Independence Hall becomes a place that restores historical truth and can be passed on to future generations."

The project to build the Gyeonggi Province Independence Hall began when Governor Kim Dongyeon met with Lee Jongchan, President of the Liberation Association, on August 29 last year, marking National Humiliation Day.

Gyeonggi Province has begun a research project for the construction of a provincial Independence Hall. The photo shows a perspective view of the Gyeonggi Province Independence Hall. Provided by Gyeonggi Province

At that time, Governor Kim Dongyeon criticized, "Even though 79 years have passed since Liberation, the history of the independence movement is still being denied. The (Yoon Suk Yeol) administration has decided to cut next year's (2025) budget for the Liberation Association from 3.2 billion won to 2.6 billion won, a reduction of 600 million won. The Presidential Office is even considering designating additional public organizations beyond the Liberation Association."

Subsequently, as part of his "Restoring Historical Truth" initiative, Governor Kim Dongyeon decided to actively pursue the construction of the "Gyeonggi Province Independence Hall." In September last year, he invited former directors of the Cheonan Independence Hall to a luncheon, where he expressed his commitment to the project.

During this meeting, Governor Kim and the former directors agreed to officially promote the construction of a metropolitan Independence Hall in close cooperation with the Liberation Association, while ensuring that the symbolic significance of the Cheonan Independence Hall would not be undermined. They also agreed to build a world-class Independence Hall by integrating various generations and incorporating new technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI).

Governor Kim Dongyeon stated that the Gyeonggi Province Independence Hall "will not simply be another building, but will lead the way in responding to changes in exhibition culture and industry, and will also upgrade its content." He promised, "We will create a space that is both new-media-friendly and eco-friendly, and will serve as a hub for training curators and creators, making it a memorial hall that people will want to visit again and again."