Dispute stirs over Park monument
Controversy has erupted over a monument in Sejong city, bearing the handwriting of the ousted former President Park Geun-hye.
The monument, marked “Sejong City Hall” in Park’s handwriting, was erected in front of the local government building in July 2015 to mark its opening.
Civic activists are demanding it be removed, claiming there is no need to commemorate the disgraced leader.
“Monuments are erected for those who serve as role models for the people and the nation’s descendents, but Park was impeached for violating the Constitution in her involvement in a corruption scandal, ”said Ahn Jin-geol, the spokesman for a coalition of civic groups behind the candlelit rallies.
“She is showing no signs of remorse and has not offered an apology and is instead trying to consolidate her supporters — we have nothing to learn from her and therefore the monument needs to be removed.”
Park has come under growing criticism for her response to the Constitutional Court’s ruling upholding the impeachment, in which she said, “The truth will be revealed in the end.”
The coalition’s civic activists based in Sejong said they would deliver documents to the Sejong city government and the agency managing presidential archives, calling for the monument to be removed.
However, Ahn said a consensus would be needed among Sejong citizens.
There are also opinions that monuments should be left as an historical record, regardless of public opinion.
Sejong Mayor Lee Choon-hee said Thursday, “There are both supporting and opposing opinions and therefore the city government will not make a unilateral decision.
“The decision on removing the monument will be made according to public opinion.”
Civic activists have been calling for the monument to be removed since the scandal involving Park and her confidant erupted last October.
Ahn said the problem was that the authorities set up too many monuments.
“They are set up without enough deliberation — monuments are meant to be set up after evaluation is made of the figure, usually after he or she has passed away,” he said.