Captured scene of crowds cheering upon hearing the official announcement of the Japanese military representatives signing surrender documents in Seoul, in September 1945 (National Museum of Korean Contemporary History)
The National Museum of Korean Contemporary History and the Korean Broadcasting System on Friday released some 335 videos documenting major historical and social events in Korea, from the early 1900s to the 1980s.
The short films and video clips collected by KBS is posted on the museum’s website. The total running time of the entire archive reaches more than 40 hours.
KBS converted the films into high-resolution video format for streaming while the museum categorized and labeled each recording. Experts' commentaries have been added to each video to explain the context in detail.
Videos of Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule of Korea include footage of Korean independence activists working abroad and Korean forced laborers during World War II. Clips showing the tumultuous post-liberation period and the Korean War are also available.
Highlights include Olympic ice skaters practicing at Gyeongbokgung's Gyeonghoeru Pavilion in 1947, the ceremony proclaiming the establishment of the government of the Republic of Korea in 1948 and independence activist and statesman Kim Gu's funeral in 1949.
In addition to showing major events in modern Korean history, there are clips that show the everyday lives of Koreans.
The museum plans to release up to 800 videos by the end of this year. Some 460 videos on the Korean War will be available for viewing on June 25.
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