Unification expo to be held in downtown Seoul

Changing from “beautiful female North Korean defectors” to “unification preachers.”

The female panel of “Now on My Way to Meet You,” a popular Channel A program, will promote unification at the Unification Exhibition (from Friday through Sunday) co-hosted by the Unification Ministry and the presidential committee on unification preparation.

Shin Eun-hee and Kim Ah-ra, popular members of the panel of the program, will meet citizens in an autograph event at a booth for the Dong-A Ilbo and Channel A in Gwanghwamun Square on Friday morning.

“It will be a meaningful event where three beautiful North Korean defectors who managed to escape the North and successfully settled in South Korea will meet citizens in person,” Channel A said. “It will be a good opportunity to discuss unification, have a deeper understanding of North Korean defectors and promote unification.” Unification Minister Hong Yong-pyo will also attend the event to encourage them and participate in an event promoting unification.

The Dong-A Ilbo and Channel A will hold an infographic exhibition titled “The Modern History of South and North Korea Seen through the Dong-A Ilbo” and offer free DVDs titled “Special Report: The Defectors from North Korea,” a documentary film of 15 North Korean defectors’ journey including a boy named Kim Shin-hyeok. The two-part documentary film received the top award in the 47th WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival last year.

The unification exhibition with the theme of “Now, We’re One. A Hopeful Future!” will have around 200 booths for the Dong-A Ilbo and Channel A, central and local governments, public institutions, media, and academic institutions.

The Unification Ministry will also operate a “unification train” for children and their family, and host a photo and video exhibition marking the 70th anniversary of the separation of the two Koreas.

“We prepared an event for the preparation of unification for the people to mark the 70th anniversary of Korea’s liberation from Japan’s colonial rule,” the ministry said. “It will be a good opportunity to create a consensus on unification at home and abroad and envision a hopeful future of a unified Korea through the hands-on exhibition.”

jkim@donga.com