Abandoned mine site reborn as cultural space with opening of M650 museum

Kangwon Land officially opens M650 museum on Wednesday

2026 Coal Culture Festival kicks off in Sabuk area

Free admission offered throughout October

Exterior of the M650 museum [Kangwon Land]

A mine site that operated for 41 years before falling silent has completed its transformation into a cultural space where industrial heritage and art coexist. To mark the official opening, five coal industry transition regions are joining forces for a festival, and free admission throughout October will lower the barrier for the public.

Kangwon Land said it held the official opening ceremony for the M650 museum on Wednesday — a coal mining heritage cultural space capturing the history of South Korea's industrialization and the lives of miners.

Ribbon-cutting ceremony at the M650 opening [Kangwon Land]

Located in Sabuk-eup, Jeongseon-gun, Gangwon Province, the M650 museum combines the setting of a coal industry site with a modern cultural experience. The museum's predecessor, the Dongwon Colliery Sabuk Mine, was a coal mine situated 650 meters above sea level that operated from 1962 to 2004. Beginning in 2021, Kangwon Land preserved as much of the original structure as possible — including the Dongwon Colliery offices, shower rooms, shaft tower and No. 650 tunnel — restoring and renovating them rather than demolishing the existing facilities.

Spanning a total site and floor area of 66,755 square meters, the M650 museum opened its doors to visitors on Oct. 1 and held its official opening ceremony on Wednesday with about 600 attendees, including Kangwon Land CEO Kim Do-gyun.

Kangwon Land CEO Kim Do-gyun delivers remarks at the M650 opening ceremony [Kangwon Land]

The opening ceremony began with a memorial cultural performance honoring miners who devoted themselves to the nation's industrial development, followed by commemorative speeches, certificate presentations, a celebratory performance and a museum tour.

Visitors can explore spaces from miners' daily working lives — including the safety lamp charging room and wash facilities — and experience a range of offerings: a distinctive café converted from the former hoist room that once hauled ore to the surface, a mine cart ride, and special exhibitions blending industrial heritage with contemporary art.

The safety lamp charging room inside the M650 museum [Kangwon Land]

The museum will also run a standing docent program offering four free guided exhibition tours every weekend. Starting Oct. 17, a paid educational program covering more in-depth content will launch, expanding the museum's cultural and educational offerings.

To celebrate the official opening, Kangwon Land is offering free admission to all visitors throughout October.

Tied to the opening ceremony, the 2026 Coal Culture Festival will run for four days from Wednesday through Saturday at the M650 museum and surrounding areas of Sabuk. The festival is a multi-genre cultural event in which five cities and counties in coal industry transition regions — Jeongseon, Taebaek, Yeongwol, Samcheok and Boryeong — participate jointly, bringing the memory of coal mining to life through a diverse lineup of programs. It will be held alongside the 30th Coal Culture Festival, an annual event.

The laundry room inside the M650 museum [Kangwon Land]

Throughout the festival, the grounds will be filled with regional promotional and hands-on booths, street arts performances — including a dance drama, a musical and circus magic acts — all themed around coal mining culture, as well as a constellation talk show, jazz performances and concerts. On the evening of Saturday, the final day of the festival, a HiOne signature fireworks show will light up the night sky over the M650 museum.

"I feel both deeply moved and a profound sense of mission as Kangwon Land opens the M650 museum on the very site where the history of South Korea's industrialization unfolded," CEO Kim said. "I hope the 2026 Coal Culture Festival, launching alongside the museum's opening, will be a celebration where both local residents and tourists can experience and enjoy the value of coal mining in a new way."

A panoramic view of the M650 museum [Kangwon Land]

terry@heraldcorp.com