Pohang is the first city in Korean peninsula to welcome the sunrise and it is a city of hope and dream that drove the modernization of Korean industries through the construction of POSCO. In addition, it is also the place where the New Community Movement “Saemaeul Undong” was first started, bring prosperity and hope to many Koreans of 1970s who lived in poverty.
In 1970 at the municipal ministers meeting, President Park Jung Hee asked for the promotion of the ‘New Community Development Movement’ based on self-dependence, self-reliance and cooperation. The residents of Munseong village in Gigye-myeon, Buk-gu, Pohang-si took this to their hearts, successfully transforming their village through determination and strong will to realize the slogan, ‘let’s all enjoy better life’. In September 17, 1971, this lead to nationwide movement to create other ‘New Communities’ like Munseong village, making Pohang the official cradle of ‘New Community Movement’.
Munseong village in Gigye-myeon is the cradle of the ‘New Community Movement’ that helped Korea overcome poverty. The spirit behind the New Community Movement is very typical of modern Koreans and it is very difficult to find another example with the kind of success enjoyed by the New Community Movement elsewhere in the world.
This movement provided a defining moment in the emergence of South Korea. In this 21st century, after several decades since the movement, we still see many delegates from other countries visiting Pohang with the intention of learning the spirit behind the New Community Movement and to learn from its success. Also, there is a movement to introduce the second New Community Movement in Korea with the hope of opening a new brighter future for South Korea.
This movement provided a defining moment in the emergence of South Korea. In this 21st century, after several decades since the movement, we still see many delegates from other countries visiting Pohang with the intention of learning the spirit behind the New Community Movement and to learn from its success. Also, there is a movement to introduce the second New Community Movement in Korea with the hope of opening a new brighter future for South Korea.
Therefore, the city of Pohang would like to review the cradle role Munseong village in Gigye-myeon, Yeongil-gun, played in the New Community Movement with the help of central government’s documentation and research, whereby we hope to inherit and further develop the spirit behind the movement through this website. We will continuously find and supplement any inadequacy in it. We hope that this information will be relayed to future generations who will continue this wonderful spirit and the second New Community movement will ignite another rapid development in Korea.
Pohang’s Mayor Seung-ho Park
