SAMCHEOK, June 11 (Korea Bizwire) — With the closure of the historic Samcheok Dogye Mine scheduled for later this month, a new museum exhibition is casting a spotlight on the coal-fueled legacy of one of South Korea’s most iconic mining towns.
The joint exhibition, titled “Coal Age,” opened Tuesday at the Samcheok City Museum in collaboration with the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History. It documents the rise and decline of the coal industry in Dogye, a region in Gangwon Province once at the heart of Korea’s energy economy.
Dogye’s coal story began in 1936 under the name Samcheok Coal Mine and became part of the state-run Korea Coal Corporation in 1951. At its peak in 1988, the mine produced a staggering 1.27 million tons of coal, powering the nation’s industrial growth and providing a vital fuel source for working-class households.
The exhibition adds new content to a version first presented in Seoul last year, now enriched with more than 70 artifacts unique to Samcheok. Among the highlights are a 1940 coalfield survey report published by the Japanese colonial government and a wooden plaque bearing the slogan “Increase Production, Repay the Nation”, once prominently displayed across mining sites during Korea’s rapid industrialization.
A re-creation of the Dogye mine worksite immerses visitors in the gritty, dangerous conditions of underground labor. Tools such as auger drills, original miner uniforms, and hand-cranked briquette makers are on display, along with paintings by Hwang Jae-hyung, known as the “miner artist,” who captured the hardship and dignity of coal miners on canvas.
The exhibition also explores the everyday lives of miners and their families. Visitors can view photos of children crowding into mining village schools, miners’ pay envelopes, and artifacts from rescue teams charged with ensuring underground safety.
Organizers say the exhibition is not just a tribute to the region’s industrial past but also a prompt to reflect on how the legacy of Korea’s coal era should be preserved in an age of energy transition and regional decline.
“With the imminent closure of the Dogye Mine, we wanted to highlight the coal that once powered a nation and the communities built around it,” a museum spokesperson said.
Han Soo, Director of the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History, added, “We are committed to ensuring cultural balance between the capital and the regions, and this exhibition is part of that effort.”
As the lights dim on Korea’s coal industry, “Coal Age” serves as a powerful reminder of the labor, lives, and legacy that once burned brightly beneath the ground.
Image credit: National Museum of Korean History, Samcheok Municipal Museum, Yonhap / photonews@koreabizwire.com