The “2nd Yeongga Forum” was hosted by the “Yeongga Association,” Andong City and Korea Foundation for Cultures and Ethics (KFCE) at the National Assembly Members’ Hall on Sept. 9.
The forum was jointly organized by Vice Speaker Joo Ho-young, Rep. Kwon Youngjin, Rep. Park Chan-dae, Rep. Kim Hyungdong, Andong Fraternity Association in Seoul and Andong Chamber of Commerce and Industry under the theme “Andong’s Future Strategies and Globalization of Cultural Resources.”
Andong Mayor Kwon Ki-chang delivered a key-note speech under the theme “Andong’s Future 2050: Sustainable Development Strategies.”
Mayor Kwon described Andong’s identity as “the capital of spiritual culture,” saying, “Andong has nurtured great figures, such as Taegye Li Hwang, Hakbong, Kim Seong-il and Seoae Ryu Seong-ryong and Andong is a city with the largest number of independence fighters across the nation.”
“Over a thousand years of history and culture have supported today’s Andong, and we have to establish sustainable strategies for future generations based on the heritage,” he said.
In particular, Mayor Kwon selected globalization of cultural assets as his city government’s priority task. He enumerated Unesco cultural heritage, such as Hahoe Village, Dosanseowon Confucian Academy, Bongjeong Temple, and Byeongsanseowon Confucian Academy as well as Memories of the World, such as Hahoe Byeolsingut Tallori (Mask Dance Drama of Hahoe) and Confucian Printing Woodblocks in Korea.
“Andong is a city in harmony with Confucian culture, folk games, traditional architecture and traditional cuisine culture, and by connecting these assets with the culture and tourism industries, we will make traveling of Andong a journey for experiencing Korean spiritual culture,” the mayor said.
Mayor Kwon stressed city transformation strategies to cope with rapidly changing trends of the times.
“Andong is now at a crossroads toward a future city beyond the traditional city, and we have to have young population come back and make Andong a city into which companies are moving by developing culture and industries as well as settlement environment in a balanced fashion,” Mayor Kwon said.
Mayor Kwon said, “Andong makes efforts to develop the water, bio and hemp industries, globalize traditional assets and become a tourism/garden city with the goal of attracting 300,00 residing population, 500,000 economically active population and 10 million tourists.”
Andong plans to set up a “Sun City” for retired people related to universities as a model to reinvigorate the region and create new values by building complexes, such as econ-friendly healing and multi-purpose recreation complexes, he said.
Mayor Kwon concluded, “From the period of protecting the past, we now have our mission of bridging the tradition to the future.” He pledged to make Andong a city of industry, culture and growing population.
In an opening speech, Chairman Park Dae-seop of the Yeongga Forum said, “I’m very pleased to host the 2nd Yeongga Forum under the theme ‘Development of Andong’, at a time when Andong is restoring to normal little by little with from much damages, caused by spring bush fires with warmth and support.”
“We intend to explore sustainable strategies and present and realize strategies to globalize Andong’s culture as well as propose ways of revising laws believed to hinder their realization and make regulatory reform,” he said.
In a welcoming speech, KFCE Chmn. Lee Hee-beom said, “I extend a hearted congratulation for the Yeongga Association’s hosting the 2nd Yeongga Forum under the theme ‘Andong’s Future Strategies and Globalization of Cultural Resources.’”
“Andong is ‘Korea in Korea,’ as Queen Elizabeth II once said, a home of culture, designated by UNESCO, a mecca of academicians and Confucianism scholars, such as Toaegye, Hakbong and Seoae, and a capital of spiritual culture with the largest number of independence fighters across the nation, and Andong, which does not rest on its past, is a transportation center of connecting with four sides, the administrative capital of Gyeongsangbuk-do and a city of culture, opportunity & development and education & development specialized zones by the central government,” Chmn. Lee said.
“Andong is developing with a focus on a bridgehead of the Korean-type bio industry and a center of the water industry, the hemp industry and the traditional culture industry,” he said.
Chmn. Lee called for nurturing “Gayangju,” or home made drink into an industry transcending culture and tradition.
He said, “The capitalization of Kweichow Moutai Group of China is believed to stand at 400 trillion won, higher than that of Samsung Electronics, Japan is making pan-national efforts to spread sake like wine of France and whiskey of UK and sake of Japanese origin is required to be served at diverse events hosted by overseas embassies, and even a small city in Belgium with 400 households is producing 400 kinds of beer, so I express the hope our traditional liquors and Gayangju will become an industry transcending culture and Korea and reach the world beyond Korea.”
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