HE Ambassador of the Republic of Korea, Sungnam Lim and MP Choung Byoung-gug, Former Korean Minister for Culture, Sports and Tourism flanked by veterans of the Korean War.
- A Soldier’s Tale exhibition at Asia House, 8–20 July 2013
- Inspired by tales of British soldiers who fought in the Korean War
- Commemorates the 60th Anniversary of the Ceasefire of the Korean War
- Marks the 130th anniversary of UK-Korea Diplomatic Relations
- Organised by ISKAI Art and curated by Stephanie Seungmin Kim
- Exhibition was opened by BBC broadcaster Mishal Husain, speeches by dignitaries including HE Ambassador of Korea and President of British Korean Veterans Association
Last night saw the official opening of A Soldier’s Tale, an exhibition inspired by the stories of British soldiers; real and tragic yet dramatically inspiring. It is not a manifesto of political views or ideological endorsements but rather, a journey of courage, brotherhood, despair and human endurance. It will run at Asia House, London from 8-20 July 2013. The evening saw a special musical performance led by Bass singer Jihoon Kim of the Royal Opera House, who sang songs from War Horse, as well as famous Korean folk song Arirang. Moving speeches and tributes were made by a number of important guests, including HE Ambassador of the Republic of Korea, Sungnam Lim; MP Choung Byoung-gug, Former Korean Minister for Culture, Sports and Tourism; President of the British Korean Veterans Association (BKVA), Major General GMG Swindells CB and Mishal Husain of the BBC. The exhibition takes place in the month commemorating the 60th anniversary of the ceasefire and also coincides with the 130th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the UK and Korea. “I would like to begin by extending my thousand thanks to all those veterans seated in the front row who made great sacrifices for making Korea what it is today… your sacrifices were not in vain. We Koreans will never forget. I would like to applaud the efforts of the artists whose beautiful artwork is on display here, without their collaboration, this beautiful exhibition could not have been possible… As President Park Geun-hye will be making a visit to the UK, nine years after the last visit by a previous Korean president, I am sure that this exhibition is a very meaningful prelude to the efforts the Korean and British governments will be making together.”
– HE Ambassador of the Republic of Korea, Sungnam Lim
“I was born just four years after the war, and when I went to elementary school, our meals were funded by foreign aid. That boy has now grown up to become a member of parliament in Korea and I truly appreciate your efforts. Those small orphans, who lost their parents, those small bodies have grown up to become strong people who have risen from the ashes and built a strong country. The UK had the second largest contingency of 56,000 combatants, of which 1000 died in battlefield. I can say with confidence that the people of Korea have worked extremely hard in order for your tremendous efforts and perseverance to not have been in vain. Now we have become a strong state that is lucky enough to aid other countries and contribute to world peace and prosperity. The war, technically speaking, is not over, still. What we can do is give our best to support the reunification of the Korean Peninsula so that perhaps one day we can stand together as a united country. Please take this special event as a thank you from all of us to never forget what you have given us in the past. We will definitely remember what you have contributed.”
– MP Choung Byoung-gug, Former Korean Minister for Culture, Sports and Tourism
“Sincerely, what a wonderful evening this is of the expression of the gratitude and friendship that South Korea shows for those who came to their aid in 1950. Your Excellency [Sungnam Lim], only five working days after you arrived in this country you asked to lay a wreath at the BKVA Memorial Crypt at St Pauls. You are patently continuing the tradition of your country’s emissaries in London in following up this feeling of gratitude which, in my view, is unique… Over those three years in the Korean Peninsula, we got the feel of your country. The music here tonight reminds us all of times in a distant land, where I think we did some good for your country, which has done so well since and ever been grateful. Congratulations to everybody and thank you Korea.”
– President of the British Korean Veterans Association (BKVA), Major General GMG Swindells CB
“This is an exhibition that speaks to me on many levels. As a presenter on the BBC I spend a lot of time talking about Korea, not necessarily for happy reasons, but we spend a lot of time wondering what the future of this part of the world holds. This exhibition is extremely poignant as we approach the 60th anniversary of the cease fire that marked the end of the Korean War, and we all know it remains exactly that – a ceasefire, not peace. There remain people, here today, who live with the reality of that in many different ways, so welcome to you all and I think this is a very special evening for Asia House and a very special exhibition taking place here.”
– Mishal Husain, BBC Presenter
The Korean War, often called ‘The Forgotten War’, represented one of the bloodiest episodes in 20th century military history. Troops from over 20 nations fought bitterly for three years, which, after four million civilian and military casualties, ultimately ended in a stalemate. The War marked an important cornerstone in world history: the first cold war conflict and one that is still, technically, continuing. Yet its veterans – Korean, British or other – have quietly faded into oblivion. A Soldier’s Tale consists of 19 works by 14 artists. It also includes 30 photographs of the DMZ (Demilitarised Zone), both past and present, by seven photographers. The artworks respond in diverse ways and encourage visitors to reflect upon the untold pain, optimism and perseverance of the Korean people as well as the soldiers involved in its war. The exhibition aims to bring out new perspectives by bringing together the unnatural; foreign subjects processed through local eyes and minds, the old (war veterans) and the young (post-war generation artists), and maybe the ‘forgotten’ versus the ‘forgetting.’
For high resolution images of artworks and the opening night, or for further information, please contact
neha@curzonpr.com or phone +44 0203 582 7324
Notes to Editors About The Korean War The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was a war between the Republic of Korea (South Korea), supported by the United Nations, and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea), at one time supported by the People’s Republic of China and the Soviet Union. It was primarily the result of the political division of Korea by an agreement of the victorious Allies at the conclusion of the Pacific War at the end of World War II. The Korean Peninsula was ruled by the Empire of Japan from 1910 until the end of World War II. Following the surrender of the Empire of Japan in September 1945, American administrators divided the peninsula along the 38th parallel, with U.S. military forces occupying the southern half and Soviet military forces occupying the northern half. The failure to hold free elections throughout the Korean Peninsula in 1948 deepened the division between the two sides; the North established a communist government, while the South established a right-wing government. The 38th parallel increasingly became a political border between the two Korean states. Although reunification negotiations continued in the months preceding the war, tension intensified. Cross-border skirmishes and raids at the 38th Parallel persisted. The situation escalated into open warfare when North Korean forces invaded South Korea on 25 June 1950. In 1950, the Soviet Union boycotted the United Nations Security Council, in protest at representation of China by the Kuomintang/Republic of China government, which had taken refuge in Taiwan following defeat in the Chinese Civil War. In the absence of a dissenting voice from the Soviet Union, who had the power to veto it, the United States and other countries passed a Security Council resolution authorising military intervention in Korea. About ISKAI Art Based in London, but working across Asia and Europe, ISKAI Contemporary Art commissions and produces unique public art projects by outstanding contemporary artists. ISKAI collaborates with various institutions to bridge different cultures, arts and dialogues, specialising in trans-cultural activities promoting Contemporary artists of Asia in Europe. ISKAI combines artistic advice, curatorial service and project management to form a comprehensive consultation for public and private sector organisations seeking to commission works of art or develop collections of contemporary art and design. ISKAI works with artists, policy makers and implementers within the public and private sectors. They carry out research, support events, deliver training, and commission new writings as well as publications. For more information, visit www.iskaiart.com About Stephanie Seungmin Kim, Director ISKAI Contemporary Art Stephanie Seungmin Kim is a curator based in London. From 2007 to 2011, Kim was the main curator and founding member of the Korean Cultural Centre UK. During her tenure she curated and managed over 40 exhibitions including the Liverpool Biennial 2010’s City States Media Landscape, and Earth Alert: Photographic Responses to Climate Change which was a touring exhibition with thirteen international photographers (visiting London, Seoul and a part to Copenhagen). Founding ISKAI Contemporary Art in 2011, she divides her time between Asia and Europe. About Asia House Asia house, the leading pan-Asian organisation in the UK, exists to build dynamic links with Asia. By providing unique insights into culture, policy, business and education, Asia House promotes informed understanding and the mutual exchange of ideas, building stronger relationships between the diverse communities of Europe and Asia. Asia House runs public events programmes in the arts and culture, business, economics, policy and politics covering 40 countries form the Persian Gulf to the Pacific. Highlights of the annual programme include the Pan-Asia Film Festival in March, the Festival of Asian Literature in May and the Asian Business Leaders Summit in October. Historical and Contemporary art from Asia is displayed in a varied exhibitions programme running throughout the year. Asia House is a non-profit, non-political organisation. Asia House received the Charity Finance Award for Arts, Culture & Heritage in 2005. For more information, visit www.asiahouse.org
