A Life Mining 'Black Gold': Revisiting Taebaek's Coal Era

There was a time when Korea did not envy the oil-producing nations of the Middle East. It was thanks to coal, called "black gold," which sustained the country's industry. A prime example is the Jangseong Coal Mine in Taebaek, Gangwon Province, which began development 90 years ago in 1936. This mine alone produced a total of 94 million tons of coal, an enormous quantity. At its peak in 1979, it produced up to 2.27 million tons in a single year. But when the Jangseong Coal Mine closed in June 2024, Korea's "age of black gold" effectively came to an end.

The National Museum of Korean Contemporary History is holding the exhibition "Taebaek, The Brilliant Coal Age" at the Taebaek Coal Museum in Taebaek, Gangwon Province. The museum moved the stage of a special exhibition held in Seoul in 2024 to the site itself, unfolding the story of Taebaek in earnest. The museum said, "We have gathered in one place more than 80 items, including various equipment such as the 'electric safety lamp charging station' and 'lockers' used by the miners themselves, as well as documents and on-site photographs by artist Ryu Je-won."

The exhibition is divided into three parts—"Let Us Achieve Economic Revival Through Increased Coal Production," "The Siren Sounds. Let's Go to Work," and "Dad! Stay Safe Again Today"—shedding light on Taebaek's past and present and the history of its transformation. The mine began full-scale development in 1936, after coal deposits were first confirmed there in 1933. Through the boom of the 1970s, it established itself as a key energy source sustaining industry, but with the changing times it had to come to a "full stop."

The exhibition also introduces a reconstruction service report for the Korea Coal Corporation, published after the Korean War by the United Nations Korean Reconstruction Agency (UNKRA) through a commission to a British company, as well as the on-site efforts to increase coal production. Because it is held at the mining site itself, another distinctive feature is its focus on the vivid lives of the miners. Through lockers where personal protective equipment and belongings were stored, and safety lamp charging stations that had to be worn during work, visitors can glimpse the arduous mining sites of that era.

Drawing attention at this exhibition is the "Taebaek Mine Map," recording the tunnels of the Hamtae Coal Mine located near the Jangseong Coal Mine, which is being unveiled for the first time. The drawing, measuring 6 meters wide, was made by actually surveying the internal structure of the Hamtae mine tunnels. It served as coordinates—a kind of guide—to ensure that the mine did not encroach on the tunnels of other mines. The Hamtae mine closed in 1994.

The photographs taken by artist Ryu capture the daily lives of miners digging coal and carrying it on their backs. In the image of a miner sorting coal with his face covered in coal dust, one can read the hard labor of an ordinary man responsible for a family. There are also materials describing in detail the circumstances before and after a mining accident in 1986, and a storage box labeled "Accident-Free Report Box." The video "A Day in the Mining Village" at the end of the exhibition also draws the eye.

This exhibition is part of the "National Museum of Korean Contemporary History Regional Coexistence Culture Project," which is being pursued with the goal of expanding regional cultural access and driving regional growth through culture. Beginning in 2023, it has been held at two locations each year. Han Soo, director of the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History, said, "At that time, the miners of Taebaek accounted for half of the nation's coal production, supporting Korea's economic development. We focused on the fierce lives of the Taebaek miners." The exhibition runs until August 30.