Korea Commits US$3m to Preserve Tuol Sleng Museum Over Five Years

• 13 August 2024
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The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) has officially donated US$3 million to support the preservation of the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum in Cambodia over the next five years. This significant contribution will fund the second phase of the “Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum Conservation and Copy Project (Phase 2),” running from 2024 to 2028. The project was officially launched on 8 August 2024 at the museum, following a grant agreement and minutes of dialogue signed by KOICA, UNESCO, and the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts of Cambodia.

This initiative focuses on preserving the historical records of the Tuol Sleng Museum, enhancing conservation conditions, and promoting peace education. It aims to disseminate the value of the Cambodian Memorial Monument (CMS) through archival preservation, improve the visitor experience, and raise awareness of Cambodia’s tragic past through enhanced exhibitions and peace educational programs.

Ms. Moonjung CHOI, Country Director of KOICA Cambodia, emphasised the project’s importance in fostering a shared sense of empathy and responsibility between Cambodia and Korea. She stated, “We aim to alleviate Cambodia’s grief and suffering through this project, and it serves as a foundation for educating future generations about Cambodia’s tragic past to protect the country from similar tragedies in the future.”

The project, which initially secured US$2 million in funding, received an additional US$1 million due to the success of its first phase. The first phase saw the preservation of over 745,494 pages of the museum’s archives, with nearly half a million pages digitised for universal access. These records are now available on bilingual websites in Khmer and English, significantly contributing to global awareness of Cambodia’s historical heritage.

Moreover, the project provided critical technical assistance to the museum staff, enhancing the museum’s reputation. This effort led to the Tuol Sleng Museum being awarded the prestigious Jikji UNESCO Memory of the World prize in September 2020.

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