Gwangyang City Holds 31st Memorial Ceremony for "Seolseong Kim Joungho"

Practicing Love for Hometown
Honoring the Late Kim Joungho's Dedication to Regional Development

Gwangyang City, South Jeolla Province, announced on the 17th that the 31st anniversary memorial ceremony for Seolseong Kim Joungho, who was selected as a 'Historical Figure of Gwangyang' for his exceptional patriotism, was held at 11 a.m. on the 16th at Seolseong Hill in Usan Park.

The memorial ceremony, organized by the Seolseong Kim Joungho Memorial Association (Chairman Kim Jeongsam), was attended by Kim Jeongwan, Deputy Mayor of Gwangyang; Lee Gaeho, National Assemblyman (Democratic Party of Korea); Choi Daewon, Chairman of the Gwangyang City Council; Lee Hyunghwi, Director of the Cultural Center; Park Nohoe, Head of the Hyanggyo; Woo Gwangil, Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry; and about 100 other local figures.

The 31st anniversary memorial ceremony for Seolseong Kim Joungho, who was selected as a "Historical Figure of Gwangyang" for his exceptional patriotism, was held on the 16th at Seolseong Hill in Usan Park, Gwangyang-eup. Provided by Gwangyang City

The ceremony proceeded in the following order: national ceremony, silent tribute, offering of flowers and incense, memorial address, recitation of a memorial sijo poem, speech by a representative of the bereaved family, and a commemorative photo session.

On this day, Assemblyman Lee Gaeho delivered a memorial address honoring Kim Joungho's patriotism and dedication to regional development. Former Gwangyang Mayor Lee Sungwoong shared anecdotes about the process of attracting Gwangyang Steelworks and Gwangyang Port, which resonated strongly with attendees. Park Kio, former Deputy Director of Sungkyunkwan, recited the winning entry from the '2024 Kim Joungho Memorial Sijo Contest' hosted by Gwangyang Hyanggyo, paying literary tribute to Kim's achievements.

In his memorial address, Deputy Mayor Kim Jeongwan emphasized, "Kim Joungho's efforts to bring Gwangyang Steelworks to the city served as a turning point for Gwangyang to grow into a steel industry hub. Today, Gwangyang has transformed into a center for new industries, and Gwangyang Port has established itself as one of the nation's top five trade ports." He added, "Let us carry on his spirit of love for our hometown and work together to make Gwangyang a city where culture, tourism, and industry are in harmony-a city where people want to live for a lifetime."

Seolseong Kim Joungho, who famously said, "Without love for one's hometown, there can be no patriotism," laid the foundation for regional development by successfully attracting Gwangyang Steelworks and Gwangyang Port during his tenure as Governor of South Jeolla Province and Minister of Construction. The Seolseong Kim Joungho Memorial Association holds this ceremony every year to honor his legacy and pass it on to future generations.