Yeoju Peace Concert to Commemorate the 70th Anniversary of the Armistice Agreement

The PUAC’s Yeoju Chapter (Head Kim Young-ja) held a concert to promote the unity of the people of Yeoju for peaceful unification ahead of the 70th anniversary of the Armistice Agreement.

The ‘Yeoju Peace Concert - Singing Peace’ event was held at the Sejong Gukak Center to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Armistice Agreement. Organized by the PUAC Yeoju Chapter and sponsored by the Yeoju City Government and the Yeoju City Council, the concert drew about 400 people, including Yeoju Mayor Lee Chung-woo, Yeoju City Council Chairman Chung Byung-gwan, Gyeonggi Provincial Assemblyman Seo Kwang-beom, Yeoju City Councilors Park Si-seon, Park Doo-hyung and Lee Sang-sook, former lawmaker Kim Sun-kyo, and heads of various organizations. It was also meaningful that members of war-related organizations including war veterans and bereaved families were present on special invitations.

In her address, Chapter Head Kim Young-ja said, "The Yeoju Peace Concert should serve to remember well the tragedy of the Korean War and to strengthen the will to defend peace so that there will no war again on the Korean Peninsula. The PUAC will take the lead in promoting peace, unification, and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula."

<Opening remarks by Chapter Head Kim Young-ja>

The concert, moderated by Professor Chang Yoo-jung of Dankook University, brought together all generations under the theme of peace. Performers included first-generation jazz artists Shin Kwan-woong and Kim Jun, both of whom underwent war, and an orchestra of Yeoju teenagers. The concert became a stage of real harmony as it brought together music of diverse genres, including trot by singer Joo Hyun-mi, tango dancing, folk, and choral music.

The audience gave big cheers to the colorful peace festival and an especially hearty round of encouraging applause over a North Korean singer couple who started a family in Yeoju. The concert was broadcast live on YouTube, and about 900 people viewed it.

<Kim Jun, the first-generation jazz artist>

One of the members of a war-related organization who was invited to the concert said, "We received a lot of comfort and had a healing time through the peace concert. I hope that there will be many more opportunities to pray for peace with the people of Yeoju."

<Singer Joo Hyun-mi in performance>

The PUAC Yeoju-si Chapter said it plans to hold the Yeoju Peace Concert every year around the anniversary of the Armistice Agreement.