Special Exhibition "Record" at the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History
Historical Records from the Paleolithic Era to Modern Times
On Display Until July 6
"The Republic of Korea is a democratic republic."
The original copy of the first issue of the official government gazette from 1948, which published the preamble of the Constitution of the Republic of Korea containing this phrase (Article 1, Clause 1), has been made public for the first time. Han Soo, Director of the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History, explained, "In a time when the original Constitution has disappeared, this artifact serves as the documentary evidence of its existence."
Special Exhibition for the 80th Anniversary of Liberation, "Memory of You," held at the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History. Photo by Yonhap News
The National Museum of Korean Contemporary History, in collaboration with the National Museum of Cheongju and the National Archives of Korea, is presenting a special exhibition for the 80th anniversary of Liberation, titled "Record, Memory of you." This exhibition unveils historical records, covering a wide range of Korean historical materials from the Paleolithic era 30,000 to 40,000 years ago, through the Goryeo and Joseon dynasties, to modern and contemporary times.
This exhibition highlights how records of daily life are passed down as historical artifacts. On an ink stick inscribed with the phrase "Dansan O-ok" (Dansan Black Jade), unearthed from a Goryeo-era tomb in Cheongju, Chungbuk, one can glimpse a mother's deep sorrow for her son who died before her. Dansan O-ok refers to a top-quality ink made in Dansan (present-day Danyang), and the inscription conveys a mother's longing for her departed son.
In addition, two treasures are on display, including the "Sukmyeong Sinhancheop," a collection of Hangul letters exchanged by Princess Sukmyeong, daughter of King Hyojong of Joseon, and her family, as well as over 100 records such as the first edition of "The Silence of the Beloved" by Han Yongun (1879?1944).
Literary materials including the first edition of Han Yongun's "The Silence of the Beloved" are on display. Photo by Yonhap News
Numerous materials offering glimpses into specific periods of the past are also exhibited. These include the "Provisional Constitution of the Republic of Korea" written in 1927, the "Liberation Commemorative Poetry Collection" first published in December 1945 after liberation, and documents detailing the plan for the complete eradication of illiteracy among citizens, created in 1953.
A family photograph taken in the 1940s in a village in Chungnam, showing six family members without the father, reflects the era when forced labor mobilization by Japan was widespread. Curator Lee Myungju commented, "It illustrates a time when family members were conscripted to the battlefield by the Japanese colonial authorities."
There is also a section dedicated to the everyday lives of ordinary citizens. The childcare diary written by Lim Youngja between 1946 and 1947 is filled with details about her daughters growing up and various family events. The diary of a sixth-grade student who evacuated from Seoul to Busan during the Korean War evokes images of children building friendships and living their lives even in bleak times.
Additionally, letters exchanged between a couple separated by deployment to Vietnam, and the diary of a discharged soldier documenting historic events such as the 3·15 fraudulent election and the 4·19 revolution, are also on display. The exhibition runs until July 6.
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