Yongsan Cultural Foundation Officially Launched... "Cultural City Yongsan" Initiative Begins

Hyungjoo Lim Appointed as Inaugural Chairman

Aiming to Become a Cultural Hub for Performances, Exhibitions, and Education

Yongsan-gu, Seoul (Mayor Heeyoung Park), took its first major step toward establishing "Cultural City Yongsan" by officially launching the Yongsan Cultural Foundation on March 3 to drive the development of local culture and arts.

The inauguration ceremony, held at 3 p.m. at the cultural complex located at 274 Itaewon-ro, was attended by Heeyoung Park, Mayor of Yongsan-gu; Hyungjoo Lim, the inaugural chairman and popera tenor; Assemblyman Youngse Kwon; the foundation's management team; and representatives from local culture and related organizations.

At the launch ceremony of the Yongsan Cultural Foundation, Heeyoung Park, Mayor of Yongsan District, Hyungjoo Lim, Chairman, and foundation executives are taking a commemorative photo. Provided by Yongsan District.

This year, the foundation plans to operate Yongsan Art Hall and Dongja Art Hall, host five annual planned performances and two curated exhibitions, and run a global youth orchestra. Other key initiatives for this year include establishing the "Yongsan Art Map," a database encompassing local artists and cultural facilities, and promoting Mecenat projects to encourage private sector cultural sponsorship. The foundation's operating budget for this year, including contributions, totals 1,895 million won.

The cultural complex housing the foundation's secretariat has been fully designed with universal accessibility in mind, allowing people with disabilities, seniors, and children to use the facility comfortably. The space features a pop-up hall, cafe, creative studio, recording studio, and outdoor performance venue, serving as a "cultural community space" where local artists and residents can interact.

The launch of the Yongsan Cultural Foundation is particularly significant as it lays the foundation for systematically managing and expanding the local cultural identity at a time when large-scale urban development projects, such as the development of the Yongsan International Business District, are gaining momentum.

Mayor Heeyoung Park stated, "The launch of the Yongsan Cultural Foundation marks an important milestone as we move beyond facility-centered urban growth toward a Yongsan where people and culture take center stage. Through cultural policies that are woven into residents' daily lives, we will create a city people want to stay in and visit again."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.