South Korea opened the country's first Holocaust museum, demonstrating its commitment to preserving the memory of the Nazi murder of six million Jews and fighting hatred.
The museum, created by the Christian Zionist group Korean-Israeli Bible Institute (KIBI) in the city of Paju, opened its doors to visitors on May 19 at a ceremony attended by public figures and diplomats, including Israeli Ambassador to South Korea Rafi Kharpaz.
According to KIBI, the museum, created as a result of many years of work and research, contains a unique exposition dedicated to the Holocaust, the Jewish people and the State of Israel.
"After October 7, we witnessed a shocking growth in hatred of Israel and the Jewish people - even here in Korea," says Professor Song Man Seok, leader of the KIBI community and the driving force of the museum.
"For us, this was a signal: we must educate the public about the Jewish people, the Holocaust and the true meaning of genocide. At the same time, we wanted to send a clear signal of solidarity and support to the Jewish people," the head of KIBI said.
The professor mentioned recent disturbing incidents, such as the persecution of the Israeli ambassador to South Korea, who was surrounded by protesters during lunch with his family at a restaurant in Seoul. "Growing extremism cannot go unanswered," Son said. "This museum is our answer, it is a shield of knowledge, values and sympathy."
The ceremony ended with sincere words of gratitude to the numerous partners who helped make the dream come true, especially Professor Son and KIBI for their long-term support for Israel.
"The Holocaust was one of the darkest chapters in the history of mankind. Six million Jews were killed solely because they were Jews. The memory of the Holocaust is not a choice, it is a moral duty to the victims," Israeli Ambassador Rafi Harpaz said during the opening ceremony, "to history and future generations. This museum is not only a place of memory, but also a place of education, truth and moral responsibility."
The ambassador also warned about the dangers of the growth of Holocaust denial and distortion of history. "Distortion of the memory of the Holocaust is not an academic dispute. This is an attack on justice, memory and dignity of victims. We are obliged to resist these phenomena and educate the next generation to understand the devastating consequences of hatred, indifference and silence."
"This museum will be a testimony of our commitment to the truth, memory and ensuring that the words "Never again" remain a promise, not just a slogan," Ambassador Harpaz concluded.
Israel has had diplomatic relations with South Korea since 1962, during this time it has established and developed strong trade ties. Citizens of the country publicly admired the success of Israeli academic and entrepreneurial activities, and Jewish history and culture are even taught in some Korean schools.
20.05.2025
South Korea opened the country's first Holocaust museum, demonstrating its commitment to preserving the memory of the Nazi murder of six million Jews and fighting hatred.
The museum, created by the Christian Zionist group Korean-Israeli Bible Institute (KIBI) in the city of Paju, opened its doors to visitors on May 19 at a ceremony attended by public figures and diplomats, including Israeli Ambassador to South Korea Rafi Kharpaz.
According to KIBI, the museum, created as a result of many years of work and research, contains a unique exposition dedicated to the Holocaust, the Jewish people and the State of Israel.
"After October 7, we witnessed a shocking growth in hatred of Israel and the Jewish people - even here in Korea," says Professor Song Man Seok, leader of the KIBI community and the driving force of the museum.
"For us, this was a signal: we must educate the public about the Jewish people, the Holocaust and the true meaning of genocide. At the same time, we wanted to send a clear signal of solidarity and support to the Jewish people," the head of KIBI said.
The professor mentioned recent disturbing incidents, such as the persecution of the Israeli ambassador to South Korea, who was surrounded by protesters during lunch with his family at a restaurant in Seoul. "Growing extremism cannot go unanswered," Son said. "This museum is our answer, it is a shield of knowledge, values and sympathy."
The ceremony ended with sincere words of gratitude to the numerous partners who helped make the dream come true, especially Professor Son and KIBI for their long-term support for Israel.
"The Holocaust was one of the darkest chapters in the history of mankind. Six million Jews were killed solely because they were Jews. The memory of the Holocaust is not a choice, it is a moral duty to the victims," Israeli Ambassador Rafi Harpaz said during the opening ceremony, "to history and future generations. This museum is not only a place of memory, but also a place of education, truth and moral responsibility."
The ambassador also warned about the dangers of the growth of Holocaust denial and distortion of history. "Distortion of the memory of the Holocaust is not an academic dispute. This is an attack on justice, memory and dignity of victims. We are obliged to resist these phenomena and educate the next generation to understand the devastating consequences of hatred, indifference and silence."
"This museum will be a testimony of our commitment to the truth, memory and ensuring that the words "Never again" remain a promise, not just a slogan," Ambassador Harpaz concluded.
Israel has had diplomatic relations with South Korea since 1962, during this time it has established and developed strong trade ties. Citizens of the country publicly admired the success of Israeli academic and entrepreneurial activities, and Jewish history and culture are even taught in some Korean schools.
