2020 DMZ Peace Festival : Live in DMZ

Live in DMZ seeking peace on Korea held from the 23rd to the 25th of October in Imjingak. Various participatory programs and exhibitions were ran.

What is “Live in DMZ”?

'2020 Live in DMZ' is an event that commemorates the 2nd anniversary of the Pyongyang Joint Declaration and the 75th anniversary of national liberation. It also marks the end of '2020 Let's DMZ', a comprehensive festival held by Gyeonggi-do.

'2020 Live in DMZ' officially opened at Pyeonghwa Nuri, Imjingak, Paju on October 22. The event consists of the 'DMZ Village', an experiential exhibition event held at the Pyeonghwa Nuri parking lot in Imjingak for 3 days from October 23 to 25, and the 'DMZ Concert', a large-scale performance event held at the Goyang Sports Complex on the evening of the October 23.

Opening Ceremony

The opening ceremony held on the special stage of Pyeonghwa Nuri in Imjingak, Paju on October 22 was attended by Let's DMG organizing committee members and Gyeonggi-do national assembly members, including Committee Chairman Lim Dong-won (former Minister of Unification), and Gyeonggi Province Vice Governor for Peace Lee Jae-gang. They expressed their aspirations for peace through the cutting of “barbed wire,” a symbol of division.

At the opening ceremony held in Paju on the 22nd, attendees cut the barbed wire which is a symbol of division 
Ⓒ GYEONGGI PROVINCE

Vice Governor for Peace Lee Jae-gang said, “I hope this will be an opportunity for the value of the DMZ and peace to become widely known through various cultural and artistic experiences. We will make active efforts to ensure a safe and fulfilling event through various measures.”

DMZ Village

'DMZ Village', which is a reproduction of the actual Panmunjom, exhibits works of art that contain the values of DMZ including the 'Joint Peace Area' where you can experience the Dobodari bridge Conference as well as the ‘DMZ Art Zone’ and ‘Peace Message Zone’. It is a participatory space where you can both look around and participate.

 

The 'DMZ Village' is composed of a joint peace zone, an art zone, and a peace message zone containing the values of the DMZ 
Ⓒ GYEONGGI PROVINCE

Of particular note, considering the COVID-19 outbreak, a 3D virtual exhibition hall (www.letsdmz.or.kr) was created based on the actual exhibition space so that those who are unable to come the event can still safely appreciate the works.

 

The screenshot of 'DMZ Village' 3D space
Ⓒ GYEONGGI PROVINCE

Joint Peace Area (JPA)

Freedom House (Time Tunnel)	You can enjoy a special time by experiencing past inter-Korean summits and joint declarations through various records. The leaders of the two Koreas have been revived through AI technologies.
Dobodari (Participatory Zone)	This place reproduces Dobodari Bridge and the ecology of the DMZ where South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un walked together in 2018.
Panmungak (DMZ Photography Exhibition)	This is an exhibition hall featuring photographs by Ed Jones that capture the strange resemblance of the South and the North even in the midst of extreme confrontation.
Armistice Agreement (Barracks)	You can see a reproduction of the Korean War Armistice Agreement signing by UN, North Korean, and Chinese representatives on July 27, 1953。

DMZ Art Zone

Fruit Tree by Jeonghwa Choi	Pop artwork that embodies the vitality of the DMZ and its meaning as a future space
Paperart Train by Ji hee Lee (2020)	The South-North Railway Intermediate Line DMZ reproduced as a train that symbolizes hope through connection with Eurasia (Participatory art with written messages of hope)
Frame, Trees and Birds by Joon Moon (2019)	An interactive augmented reality art exhibition that evokes contemplation about the division and freedom
Wall of Peace by Isoo Jeon (2020)	A participatory art exhibition in which visitors complete the artwork by using Lego blocks
World is ONE by Chanyeong Shim	The world is one! An exhibition of graffiti expressing harmony and peace

Peace Message Zone

DMZ Media	High-definition video experience displayed on a 12-meter-wide and 3-meter-high LED media wall
PEACE LETTER	Write your own message for peace! Leave a precious message for peace
Busking	Busking performances at various places in the DMZ Village Pyeonghwa Nuri Park
TALK CONCERT	A discussion event analyzing the DMZ from various perspectives including scientific, ecological, historical, cultural, economic viewpoints

DMZ Concert

The DMZ concert held at the Goyang Sports Complex on the evening of October 23rd is a program that promotes the meaning of the DMZ, transforming it into a place of peace through performances by artists of various genres who are leading the Korean Wave.

To prevent the spread COVID-19, attendee numbers for all '2020 Live in DMZ' events were limited through a pre-reservation system, and quarantine measures such as the obligatory wearing of masks, maintenance of inter-personal distances, and regular venue disinfection were in effect.

The event successfully delivered the message that there is always optimism in the DMZ, a symbolic place where the tragedy of division and hopes for peace coexist. This event is part of a number of policies that Gyeonggi-do has been implementing to foster a peace on the Korean Peninsula.