47th National Confucian Culture Academic Conference held in Bonghwa-gun

Bonghwa-gun in North Gyeongsang Province hosted the 47th National Confucian Culture Academic Conference on Thursday, drawing more than 1,200 Confucian scholars and community members from across the country. The event was organized by the Bonghwa chapter of the Bakyakhoe, a Confucian cultural association.

Held at the indoor tennis court of the Bonghwa Complex Sports Center, the conference gave participants a firsthand look at Bonghwa's historical and cultural heritage while exploring both the traditional and contemporary significance of Confucian culture.

Local dignitaries in attendance included Bonghwa-gun County Chief Choi Ki-young, Bonghwa County Council Speaker Lee Seung-hoon, county council members, and Kwon Seok-jae, head of the Bonghwa Hyanggyo Confucian school.

Before the academic sessions began, participants toured major cultural sites in Bonghwa, including Daksil Village and Cheongamjeong Pavilion, experiencing firsthand the area's Confucian heritage and the legacy of its historical scholars.

The event opened with pre-ceremony performances featuring accordion music and popular songs, followed by a promotional video about Bonghwa-gun and a calligraphy performance by artist Seong Jang-won.

In his welcoming remarks, County Chief Choi said Bonghwa has long been a place where the scholarly virtue and integrity of its forebears took deep root. "From Daksil Village and Cheongamjeong Pavilion, imbued with the learning and moral steadfastness of scholar Chungje Kwon Beol, to the seowon academies, hyanggyo schools and historic homes scattered throughout the area, the traces of our ancestors remain all around us," he said.

The academic program drew considerable attention with a lecture by Dr. Lee Chun-geun on international affairs in the Donald Trump era.

Lee outlined major recent trends in global affairs, focusing on the rapidly shifting international landscape and changes in US foreign policy, and offered perspectives for understanding the evolving international environment.

Hong Seung-eun, head of the Bonghwa chapter of the Bakyakhoe, said the organization would continue working to preserve the region's Confucian cultural heritage and carry its spiritual values forward in a way that speaks to the present day.