Mapo-gu Joins Hands with Kim Dae-jung Foundation to Actively Promote Preservation of Donggyo-dong Residence

Park Gang-su, Mayor of Mapo-gu, who learned politics from former President Kim Dae-jung, meets with Kim Dae-jung Foundation officials including Kwon No-gap and Moon Hee-sang to discuss preserving the private residence... Formation of a Preservation Committee and active promotion of purchase and preservation plans announced

Mapo-gu, Seoul (Mayor Park Gang-su) is making every effort to devise measures to preserve the late President Kim Dae-jung's Donggyo-dong residence and to leave it as a national heritage.

On November 11, 2024, Kwon No-gap, Chairman of the Kim Dae-jung Foundation, Moon Hee-sang, Vice Chairman, and Bae Gi-seon, Secretary General, visited the mayor's office at Mapo-gu Office.

In response, Park Gang-su, Mayor of Mapo-gu, held in-depth discussions with the foundation officials regarding the preservation of the late President Kim Dae-jung's residence, expressing his intention to promptly form a preservation promotion committee in cooperation with the Kim Dae-jung Foundation and actively pursue preservation measures such as purchasing the residence.

Along with this, Mapo-gu has been steadily working to preserve the historical value of President Kim Dae-jung's residence.

On October 21, 2024, Mayor Park personally visited the National Heritage Agency to urge the designation of the Donggyo-dong residence as a temporary national registered cultural heritage site, and subsequently launched the 'Protect the Residence Challenge,' garnering interest and consensus from local residents and political figures.

Park Gang-su, Mayor of Mapo District (second from the left), received a visit on the 11th from Kwon No-gap, Chairman of the Kim Dae-jung Foundation, Moon Hee-sang, Vice Chairman, and Baek Ki-seon, Secretary General, to discuss the restoration of former President Kim Dae-jung's residence.

He also met with the purchaser of the residence to discuss registration as a national registered cultural heritage site, emphasizing the historical significance and importance of preserving the residence.

In response, the purchaser deeply sympathized with Mapo-gu's efforts and determination to preserve the residence and expressed willingness to cooperate with the registration as a national registered cultural heritage site. On October 30, 2024, the purchaser visited Mapo-gu and submitted the owner's consent form for cultural heritage registration.

Furthermore, on November 20, 2024, the district is promoting various support projects such as the naming ceremony of Kim Dae-jung-gil Honorary Road and installation of information boards at Kim Dae-jung Peace Park, leading the creation of a commemorative space to widely publicize the late President Kim Dae-jung's will and achievements.

Park Gang-su, Mayor of Mapo-gu, stated, "The values of democracy and peace through reconciliation and forgiveness demonstrated by the late President Kim Dae-jung are important heritage that our society must remember and inherit together," adding, "Mapo-gu will work closely with the Kim Dae-jung Foundation to honor his will and achievements and do its best to make the Donggyo-dong residence a place that all citizens can share."

Mayor Park Gang-su's passion for restoring former President Kim Dae-jung's Donggyo-dong residence is also interpreted as stemming from his connection to Kim, the first Korean Nobel Peace Prize laureate, from whom he learned politics.

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