U.N. chief’s childhood house in Chungju restored

The old house where U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon lived in Chungju, North Chungcheong Province, has been restored.

Born on June 13, 1944, he lived in the house for 20 years from 1950 to 1970.

The municipal government of Chungju said Wednesday that it had completed the restoration work, which began in 2011 and cost 330 million won ($295,000).

The owner of the house is said to have handed over the ownership readily to city authorities for its project to turn it into a memorable place.

Ban attended elementary, middle and high school while living in the house located within a market, moving out in 1971 when he got married.

On the property, Chungju installed two different sculptures, one showing Ban on all fours near a well waiting for a shower, and the other of him sitting in an apricot tree to pick fruits to give to his brother.

The city government has also showcased some items used by Ban during his school days. The house of his birth is located elsewhere in the province and has been restored as well.

Ban is scheduled to visit Korea for six days from Thursday. He will attend the opening ceremony of the World Rowing Championship in Chungju on Saturday and tour the restored house on Sunday.

The restored house and its vicinity will be further developed into a popular stop for educational trips, which will inspire dreams and hopes in school-aged boys and girls, officials said.

By Chun Sung-woo (swchun@heraldcorp.com)