Let's Go, to Our Homeland’, introduces the return of the Provisional Government

[Korea, November 23] In commemoration of the 78th anniversary of the return of the Korean Provisional Government to Korea on November 23, 1945, an exhibition showcasing the history of the Provisional Government will be held in Beijing, China, for the first time overseas.

The Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs (Minister Park Min-shik) announced, “The National Memorial of the Korean Provisional Government will hold its first overseas touring exhibition at the Korean Cultural Center in Beijing, China, from November 24th this year to March 6th, 2024, under the theme ‘The Korean Provisional Government Returns’”.

This exhibition, jointly organized with the Korean Cultural Center in Beijing, builds upon the special opening exhibition of the National Memorial, which opened on March 1 last year, and the domestic touring exhibition held at the Presidential Archives (Sejong City). It displays 63 artifacts related to the establishment and activities of the Provisional Government, the process of officials returning to Korea, and the national welcoming events held at the Seoul Stadium.

The first part of the five-part exhibition, titled ‘We Will Return Victorious’, introduces the establishment of the Provisional Government and its leaders' activities, especially focusing on their diplomatic and military activities in the 1940s. Key exhibits include: Dongnipsinmun (Independence Newspaper) issue 89 (1921) introducing Dr. Syngman Rhee as the first President of the Provisional Government and issue 192 (1926) introducing Hong Jin as the second State Councilor; President Kim Gu's inauguration oath (1944); the Provisional Government's Declaration of War against Japan (December 1941); and the Cairo Declaration (December 1943) guaranteeing Korea's independence.

Part two, ‘Let's Go, to Our Homeland’, introduces the return of the Provisional Government after the liberation of Korea, following negotiations with China and the United States. It features the ‘Japanese Instrument of Surrender’ signed officially on September 2, 1945, and the ‘Proclamation to Compatriots at Home and Abroad’ announced by the Provisional Government the next day, September 3, 1945.

Part three, ‘The Provisional Government Enters Triumphantly’, recreates the scene of the national welcoming events with structures like the triumphal arch and floral tram, originally constructed in front of the Jongno Hwashin Department Store in December 1945. Key exhibits include the ‘Proclamation by the Return Preparation Committee of the Korean Provisional Government’ and the Song of Gratitude.

Part four, ‘The Government of the Republic of Korea Succeeds the Provisional Government’, introduces the new government’s willingness to succeed the Provisional Government through items such as the ‘first issue of the Official Gazette of the Republic of Korea’, the ‘Korean national anthem's sheet music printed in Chinese, English, and Korean’, and a Taegukgi (Korean flag) signed by the Korean Liberation Army, showcasing the constitution, people, memorial days, and symbols.

Part five, ‘Remembering the Korean Provisional Government’, covers sites in China to remember and commemorate the Provisional Government after liberation, leading up to the opening of the ‘National Memorial of the Korean Provisional Government’.

The exhibition, which runs from November 24, 2023, to March 6, 2024, excluding Sundays, is open from 10 am to 5:30 pm and is free of charge.

Before the exhibition, an opening ceremony will be held at 5 pm (local time) on Thursday, the 23rd, at the Korean Cultural Center in Beijing, with the attendance of Kim Hui-gon, Director of the National Memorial of the Korean Provisional Government, Chung Jae-ho, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to China, Kim Jin-gon, Director of the Korean Cultural Center in Beijing, and representatives of the Korean community.

Kim Hui-gon, Director of the National Memorial of the Korean Provisional Government, stated, “This exhibition held at the Korean Cultural Center in Beijing is significant as it takes place in China, where the Provisional Government was active until its return to Korea. We will do our best to promote the history and value of the Provisional Government, which served as the center of our nation's independence, not only domestically but also abroad.”

Kim Jin-gon, Director of the Korean Cultural Center in China, expressed, “We hope that this exhibition will create a new consensus between the people of Korea and China, linking them through the history of the Provisional Government.

Attachment : Event Poster