By John Redmond
A photo exhibition by Korean expat nurses from Germany is on display at the Seoul Museum of History in Jongno-gu, central Seoul. The event will run through Sept. 3.
Titled the “Women Who Transcended Boundaries Exhibition,” the exhibition depicts Korean nurses who left their country for Germany in the 1960s to seek a better future for themselves and their families.
The event also features stories about their lives as nurses and also as first generation Korean emigrants in a then divided nation as well as their reflections on current Korean modern society.
The nurses, who went to Germany during the 1960s to ‘70s, formed the first Korean community in the country. Germany successfully revitalized its economy after the country was defeated and collapsed after World War II.
“Germany recruited nurses from abroad as the country was suffering from a manpower shortage upon the improvement of the social security system and many nurses in Korea chose to go to Germany for the stabilization of their family and personal development,” the event organizers say on the museum website.
“This will be an opportunity to ruminate on the modern history of Korea through the lives of Korean nurses who crossed cultural and political boundaries by moving from one divided country to another divided country, Germany, starting their careers as nurses at hospitals particularly in the divided city of Berlin, and becoming part of their society after taking root in the foreign country.”
Admission is free and times are weekdays 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Closed Mondays.
The Seoul Museum of History is at 55 Saemunnan-no, Jongno-gu, Seoul.
To get there, take the subway metro to Gwanghwamun Station, leave at exit 7 and walk about 10 minutes. The museum is on the opposite corner from the “Man with Hammer” sculpture. It is the building with a streetcar outside.
For more information, call (02) 724-0274 or visit https://eng.museum.seoul.kr/eng/board/NR_boardView.