Chungnam Governor Park Soo-hyun attended the "2026 Chungnam Citizens' Culture Day Ceremony and Living Culture Festival" held at the outdoor stage of the Boryeong Culture Hall on the 17th, expressing his gratitude to the cultural center officials who have safeguarded regional culture and stating his commitment to supporting the vitalization of cultural centers.

Hosted and organized by the Chungnam Federation of Cultural Centers, this event was designed to encourage the efforts of individuals who have contributed to regional cultural development and to provide citizens with diverse opportunities to enjoy arts and culture.

Attended by about 500 people—including Governor Park, the Mayor of Boryeong, provincial and municipal assembly members, and cultural center directors and members from various cities and counties—the event proceeded in the order of the proclamation of the Chungnam Citizens' Cultural Rights Declaration, an awards ceremony for meritorious persons, celebratory performances, and the awards ceremony for the living culture festival.

At the event, a total of 30 commendations were presented to organizations and individuals who have worked hard for regional cultural development.

The Chungnam Cultural Center of the Year Award went to the Dangjin Cultural Center, while three individuals—Kwak Seung-il, Secretary-General of the Cheonan Dongnam-gu Cultural Center; Yoo Byung-gyo, Vice Director of the Buyeo Cultural Center; and Ahn Eun-sun, General Affairs Section Chief of the Taean Cultural Center—received the Provincial Governor's Commendation.

At the Living Culture Festival held alongside the ceremony, living culture clubs from around the province showcased performances, exhibitions, and hands-on programs, followed by team awards and celebratory performances.

The province plans to continue discovering and preserving regional history and living culture resources, connecting them to various cultural activities such as education, experiences, and performances to broaden citizens' opportunities to enjoy culture.

In addition, the province intends to support the discovery of local culture, cultural lectures, and living culture activities, as well as work on improving the activity spaces of cultural centers so that they can faithfully perform their roles as regional cultural hubs.

In his remarks, Governor Park said, "Cultural centers are places that remember the lives of citizens and connect them through local culture. They inherit precious lives and histories of our hometowns, such as modern and contemporary oral history recordings, folk songs, pungmul (traditional percussion), and folk rituals, while exploring cultural heritage and bringing local residents together through the same rhythms and stories." He added, "The province will actively support the 16 cultural centers so that they can once again become the center of our lives."

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