Exhibition held to commemorate first year of Blue House opening

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism is holding a special exhibition titled “Stories of Our Presidents-The Presidents Were Here” at the Blue House from June 1 to August 28 to mark the first anniversary of the opening of the Blue House.

In this exhibition, which will be held in the Sejong and Inwang rooms of the main building of the Blue House, various props and stories of 12 former presidents will be introduced. The typewriter, which was a necessity for First President Rhee Syngman, was used to write related documents during negotiations on a mutual defense treaty with the United States after the Korean War ceasefire in July 1953. President Rhee, then 78 years old, used the typewriter using the "eagle claw typing method.”

Jogging shoes are a symbolic prop for President Kim Young-sam, who enjoyed running early in the morning at Green House in the Blue House. It is said that at the time of the announcement of the real-name financial system in 1993, President Kim ran twice as fast as usual, trying to loosen up and organize his thoughts ahead of the important policy announcement. President Roh Moo-hyun's most well-known prop is the “improved reading table” made in 1974. This book stand, which attained a utility model patent, can be adjusted at an angle so that you can read a book while lying down.

In the ‘Invitation, Market’ exhibition held at the Chunchugwan, tableware and furniture used in the Blue House, such as Bone China bowls made for the first time in Korea in the 1980s, will be displayed. The exhibition period is the same.


Seong-Taek Jeong neone@donga.com