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The Twin Mounds of Hwangnamdaechong: A Symbol of Softness and Unity [Photo Essay Contest - Grand Prize Winner]

Published: 28 Jul. 2025, 16:58 Updated: 28 Jul. 2025, 17:26

by DONG YEON KANG, Ewha Womans University

Gyeongju, which is also called the Golden city, is known for being the ancient capital of the Silla Kingdom for nearly a thousand years. It boasts royal tombs, historic museums, and Buddhist relics. As a South Korean citizen, I felt proud that Gyeongju was selected to host the 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).

I recently made a visit to Gyeongju to provide a mentoring session to the 2025 World Friends Korea ICT Volunteer Program participants and understood why this Golden city was a museum without a roof. Various monuments and museums had welcomed me and let me be immersed in the brilliant cultural heritage.

When my footsteps led me to the Hwangnamdaechong Tomb, a twin burial mound resting in front of a small but peaceful lake, I stood in awe and happiness for a few minutes. In that moment, memories of my past volunteer work abroad came rushing back, and I felt the tomb whisper to me the message: “Softness overcomes strength.”

Having received the Grand Prize from the Minister of Science and ICT for our efforts to bridge the digital divide and sharing Korean culture in Bucaramanga, Colombia, through the 2024 World Friends Korea ICT Volunteer Program, I made a visit to Gyeongju as a mentor to for new volunteers. I recalled the invaluable lessons I had learned overseas: listening with respect, embracing differences, and sharing lives across borders. The significance of international development cooperation and the mindset that I pursue resonated with me, viewing the Hwangnamdaechong Tomb. In a world where people seek efficiency, self-interest, and a direct way to success, the double dome of the Hwangnamdaechong Tomb seemed to tell me that together, although we might not be as fast as going solo, we could reach further. During the volunteering activity, being a team leader meant that I had to solve conflicts, make sure that nobody was left behind, and encourage the group to reach our goal: connect South Korea and the world with ICT and empathy. Only with patience, softness, and empathy could I overcome the hardships.

Hwangnamdaechong Tomb, quietly monumental, inspired me to reflect on what it means to lead: not just through innovation, but through inclusive cooperation. Now, as Gyeongju hosts APEC, I hope that same message reaches those who visit that together, one can go further, and that South Korea’s power lies not only in advancement, but also in its cultural wisdom and embracement. Only then can development truly be sustainable. Like the twin mounds that support one another, the global future must be built together, soft and united.