Yoo Hongjun Appointed as New Director of the National Museum of Korea
Grown into One of the World's Top Ten Museums Over 60 Years
Bringing Masterpieces from Abroad, Showcasing Korean Masterpieces Globally
Plans to Exhibit World Masterpieces in Yongsan and Across the Country
On the morning of July 24, at the National Museum of Korea, the newly appointed director Yoo Hongjun stated in his inaugural address, "I will make it possible for people to see masterpieces and world-renowned artworks in Seoul," as quoted above.
On the morning of the 24th, Yoo Hongjun, the newly appointed director, spoke at the inauguration meeting held at the National Museum of Korea in Yongsan, Seoul. Photo by Seo Mideum
Director Yoo emphasized that "a museum is made up of its building, artifacts, and people," and asserted that the National Museum of Korea has now grown into one of the world's top ten museums. He explained that the museum, which began in the Seokjojeon building in 1960, now stands shoulder to shoulder with global institutions such as the Louvre in Paris, the Vatican Museums, the British Museum in London, the Metropolitan Museum in New York, the Shanghai Museum in China, the National Palace Museum in Taiwan, and the Palace Museum in Beijing. "At that time, one million visitors was a dream figure, but now we have surpassed four million," he said.
The museum began in the Seokjojeon building at Deoksugung Palace in the 1960s and expanded its scale through four relocations. In the 1970s, it moved to the current National Folk Museum of Korea building; in the 1980s, to the former Japanese Government-General of Korea building; in the 2000s, to the National Palace Museum building; and in 2005, it settled in its current location in Yongsan. During this time, it has grown into a world-class museum with a collection of 440,000 items, ranking among the top ten globally.
At the press conference that day, Director Yoo expressed his ambition to move beyond the perception of the museum as merely a place for displaying old relics. He aims to make it a place that instills pride in our culture and history, a place to appreciate the beauty of classical art, and a place to encounter world art.
Bringing in and exhibiting collections from renowned overseas museums and art galleries is part of this vision. By bringing works that are difficult to see properly abroad to Korea, he intends to allow visitors to fully appreciate them. Furthermore, he plans to extend these cultural experiences to regions outside Seoul. As in the case of the Oceania special exhibition held at the Jeonnam Museum of Art, the plan is to expand cultural enjoyment on a nationwide scale.
Efforts to promote Korean culture abroad will proceed simultaneously. For example, the Lee Kunhee Collection will be exhibited at the Smithsonian in Washington this November, and such overseas exhibitions will continue. Director Yoo pointed out the inadequacy of Korean galleries in major overseas museums, and stated, "Just as the '5,000 Years of Korean Art' exhibition held in the United States, United Kingdom, and France in 1980 introduced the essence of Korean culture, we are planning a new '5,000 Years of Korean Art' exhibition to showcase the substance and strength of Korea as a cultural powerhouse."
Director Yoo identified "parking issues" as a practical obstacle for museum visitors. Currently, the museum's parking space is limited, causing significant inconvenience, with entry and exit taking over an hour on weekends. He announced, "We plan to open a separate Children's Museum near Yongsan Park," and requested, "Until then, please make use of weekday or Wednesday evening openings."
Director Yoo shared his thoughts on his appointment, saying, "I accepted the position of director to fulfill the mission and demands of our times, based on my lifelong research into the history of Korean art." He added, "If I have met readers through my books on Korean art history until now, I now hope to meet the public through exhibitions at the National Museum of Korea, telling stories through artifacts."
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