EARLY SUMMER BEACH: CAMP 2020
Camp Long, Gangwon-do, which was returned from US force in December 2019, was originally planned for redevelopment as a culture and sports park. However, with the instigation of the participatory exhibition ‘CAMP 2020: Contemporary Arts & Mutational Plans’ (hereinafter CAMP 2020), these construction plans have been temporarily postponed. In this report, Chung Isak, a director of CAMP 2020, describes the anticipated impact of the artistic activities set against the background of exhibition planning and a location of profound historical significance.
From Waiting to Preparing
Under the auspices of the Ministry of National Defense, I visited Camp Long located in Taejang-dong, Wonju-si in Gangwon-do on the 17th of February, 2020. Behind the creaky iron gates, The empty grounds closed off by creaky iron gates reminded me of a desolate off-season beach. Camp Long was a United States Army base founded in 1955 and named after Charles R. Long, a US Army soldier who received a medal for his service and actions during the Korean War. In 2010, all US force bases were moved to Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi-do, after which this base was left vacant. Camp Long was originally set to be returned to Korea in 2008, as according to the Land Partnership Plan (LPP) ▼1
