The Former South Jeolla Provincial Office, a symbol of the May 18 Democratic Uprising, has returned to citizens after being restored to its appearance from 46 years ago.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's Former South Jeolla Provincial Office Restoration Task Force restored the building in Dong-gu, Gwangju, to breathe life into the site of democracy and allow visitors to directly experience the meaning of the May 18 Democratic Uprising. The opening ceremony was held on the 18th, with President Lee Jae-myung and other key figures in attendance.
"The Former South Jeolla Provincial Office is the sacred site of K-democracy that made today's Republic of Korea possible," Culture Minister Choi Hwi-young said. "We hope that this space, returned to the citizens, will become a world-class landmark that reaffirms the pride of our democracy and shares its value with the world."
After extended debate over its use, the Former South Jeolla Provincial Office was decided to be restored to its 1980 appearance as the site of the May 18 Democratic Uprising, with construction beginning in 2019. Despite a fire that broke out in January last year, the work was successfully completed after seven years. The opening ceremony was held immediately after the 46th Anniversary Ceremony of the May 18 Gwangju Democratic Uprising on the same day.
Public opening began at 2 p.m. on the same day. Citizens toured restored key spaces including the provincial office main building, the provincial police headquarters main building, the provincial police civil affairs office, the provincial office conference room, Sangmugwan, and the provincial office annex (visitor center), experiencing the unfolding of the May 18 Democratic Uprising and reflecting on the spirit of sacrifice and solidarity of citizens at the time. The main building has been developed as a core exhibition space centered on the narrative of the 10-day uprising, while Sangmugwan has been created as a memorial space honoring the victims. The provincial police headquarters and the provincial office conference room offer a deeper look into the history of citizen self-governance through various video and oral history materials.
In addition, a special exhibition titled "Gwangju May 18, Time That Has Not Ended," centered on materials collected during the restoration process, will run until August 17. The exhibition, which contains the stories of people who hold the May 1980 Gwangju in their hearts, sheds light on the candid stories of Gwangju citizens in May under the themes of "record," "memory," and "commemoration."
"We plan to continue operating exhibitions and education programs so that the Former South Jeolla Provincial Office can establish itself as a key space for learning the history of democracy in the Republic of Korea," the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said.
