Jeonbuk Province Opens 'Baek Yongseong Memorial Hall for Independence Activists'

7 Billion Won Invested
Two-Story Building with 1,000 Square Meters of Floor Space

Jeonbuk Province has opened the 'Baek Yongseong Memorial Hall for Independence Activists' in Beonam-myeon, Jangsu-gun.

According to the province on December 4, the opening ceremony was attended by Kim Kwan-young, Governor of Jeonbuk Province, Kang Yoonjin, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, Venerable Beopryun, Chairman of the Baek Yongseong Memorial Project Association, the Jangsu County Governor, provincial assembly members, local residents, and about 200 other participants.

Baek Yongseong (1864-1940), a native of Jangsu, was a leading independence activist in the Buddhist community. He participated as one of the 33 national representatives in the March 1st Movement and signed the Declaration of Independence. He is recognized as a pioneer who led the revival of Buddhism and the national enlightenment movement despite oppression under Japanese colonial rule.

The leadership he demonstrated as a national representative in 1919, and his unwavering commitment to independence even after imprisonment, hold significant meaning in the history of Korea's independence movement.

The newly opened memorial hall has been developed since 2022 to systematically preserve and exhibit Baek Yongseong's spirit and legacy. A total of 7 billion won was invested in the project, with 2 billion won from the national government, 500 million won from the province, 3.5 billion won from the county, and 1 billion won in private funds.

Organized by the Memorial Project Association, this initiative is significant in that it lays the foundation for passing on the historical value of the region's independence movement to future generations.

The memorial hall is a two-story building with a floor area of 1,000 square meters, featuring a permanent exhibition hall that introduces Baek Yongseong's life, independence activism, and national enlightenment activities. There are also exhibition spaces highlighting the movement to popularize Buddhism and modern educational activities, as well as experiential independence movement education content for youth and visitors, allowing all generations to easily access its historical significance.

The province plans to continue developing educational programs, linking the site with tourism resources, and expanding commemorative projects to carry on the spirit of the independence movement.

Governor Kim Kwan-young stated, "Baek Yongseong is a great patriot born in Jeonbuk and a symbolic figure of the independence movement. I hope the opening of this memorial will raise pride in the region's independence movement and serve as an important opportunity for future generations to develop a proper understanding of history."