Berlin Statue of Peace Guardian Seongbuk District Mayor and Seongbuk Youth Resemblance Sparks Attention

Picketing by Seongbuk District Mayor Requesting Withdrawal of Berlin Peace Statue Removal Order, Seongbuk Youth Send Handwritten Letters to German Citizens... After Visit by Mayor Lee Seung-ro, Kyeseong High Students Launch 'Peace Statue Support Challenge' for Overseas Cities

A handwritten thank-you letter and rolling paper from Gyeseong High School students and Seungro Lee, Mayor of Seongbuk-gu (fifth from the left in the back row), to the German people who helped protect the Berlin Statue of Peace.

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] The demolition order of the Peace Statue of a Girl in Berlin, Germany has revealed the Japanese government's persistent efforts to prevent the establishment of Peace Statues of Girls in overseas cities and to remove those already installed.

Amid this, public interest in protecting overseas Peace Statues of Girls has gathered momentum, with many applauding the efforts of Seung-ro Lee, Mayor of Seongbuk-gu, and the youth of Seongbuk-gu.

On the 12th, Seung-ro Lee, Mayor of Seongbuk-gu, held a picketing event at the Seongbukcheon Fountain Square, requesting the suspension of the 'Berlin Peace Statue of a Girl Demolition Order.' At the site of the public art exhibition ‘ALIGHT,’ which aimed to raise awareness about the violence of war and the human rights issues of comfort women victims, Mayor Lee stood before citizens holding a placard written in Korean and German that read, “We request the withdrawal of the Berlin Peace Statue of a Girl demolition order.”

Mayor Lee expressed, “It is very regrettable that Germany, which has earned worldwide respect by making exemplary efforts to avoid repeating past mistakes, has issued a demolition order against the Peace Statue of a Girl, which symbolizes the violence of war and the restoration of honor and human rights of Japanese military comfort women victims,” and requested, “Please suspend the demolition order and stand in solidarity with the people of the Republic of Korea who cherish peace and human rights.”

Mayor Lee’s picketing ignited national interest. On the following day, the 13th, 113 members of the National Assembly delivered a letter of protest against the statue’s demolition to the German Embassy in Korea. On the same day, about 300 Berlin citizens held a demonstration demanding the withdrawal of the demolition order, responding to the Korean people's efforts to protect peace and human rights. Ultimately, on the 14th, the Mitte District Office of Berlin, which had issued the demolition order, reversed its stance by deciding not to take further action regarding the Peace Statue of a Girl and to await the court’s judgment, marking a significant achievement.

The reason Mayor Seung-ro Lee’s picketing draws attention is due to a special connection with the Peace Statue of a Girl.

Seongbuk-gu has a sister city relationship with Glendale, California, USA, where the first overseas Peace Statue of a Girl was established in 2013. Despite Japanese right-wing groups demanding the removal of the Glendale Peace Statue of a Girl and even filing lawsuits, the city and its citizens maintained that it was a matter of ‘freedom of expression,’ winning the case in 2017. However, the issue did not end with the court ruling.

In March 2019, former Glendale Mayor Zareh Sinanyan visited Seongbuk-gu and confided in Mayor Seung-ro Lee that “Japanese right-wing groups are exerting more meticulous and persistent pressure than before, and as an elected official, managing and maintaining the Peace Statue of a Girl is quite challenging.” In fact, incidents such as throwing what appeared to be excrement and graffiti on the statue have continued.

Mayor Seung-ro Lee immediately visited all elementary, middle, and high schools in the area, asking school officials to educate future generations about accurate history and to consider the situation faced by Peace Statues of Girls in overseas cities. The schools empathized, and about 2,000 children and youth in the area wrote thank-you letters to Glendale, which were delivered to the Seongbuk-gu Office.

Mayor Lee personally visited Glendale with these letters and handed them to Mayor Ara Najarian, Councilmember Paula Devine, and other city and council officials. They responded by saying, “This is an unforgettable gift,” and “We have grown to like Korea even more and have become more interested in the Peace Statue of a Girl.”

Interest among Seongbuk-gu residents has also increased. In Seongbuk-gu, there is a Korea-China Peace Statue of a Girl established in 2015 by Korean and Chinese cultural and artistic figures (located in Dongso-mun-dong Street Park), where voluntary cleaning and invisible care such as knitting scarves and hats continue.

The future generation has been the most sensitive to the Peace Statue of a Girl issue. In addition to about 2,000 letters, they have promoted the statue through photos, videos, webtoons, and more.

Especially notable was the ‘Peace Statue of a Girl Establishment Overseas City Officials and Citizens Support Challenge’ conducted via Facebook by students of Gyeseong High School, which attracted participation from prominent figures in politics, arts, and culture, raising social interest.

Upon hearing the news of the Berlin Peace Statue of a Girl demolition order, the youth of Seongbuk-gu acted swiftly. About 280 students of Gyeseong High School in Gireum-dong, Seongbuk-gu, wrote about 150 thank-you letters and rolling papers to the German people who helped protect the Berlin Peace Statue of a Girl. The campaign was led by second-year students Young-joo Jin and Yoo-jung Na, who had proposed and led the 2019 ‘Peace Statue of a Girl Establishment Overseas City Officials and Citizens Support Challenge.’

On the 21st, Mayor Seung-ro Lee set aside his busy schedule and rushed to the school. After receiving the heartfelt letters from the students, Mayor Lee said, “A year ago, the youth of Seongbuk-gu played an excellent role as private diplomats by informing overseas cities where Peace Statues of Girls were established, including officials and citizens of Glendale, USA, about the values of peace and human rights cherished by Korea. This time, they have done a great job again,” and added, “I will make sure to deliver your carefully written letters to German government officials.”

Students Young-joo Jin and Yoo-jung Na said, “After hearing about the Glendale Peace Statue of a Girl from the Seongbuk-gu Mayor last year, we realized that the interest and support of the Korean people are very important,” and pledged, “We will strive to ensure that such interest and activities continue among our juniors.”

Currently, in elementary, middle, and high schools within Seongbuk-gu, a campaign is spreading where students voluntarily write thank-you letters to the German people who helped protect the Berlin Peace Statue of a Girl. Seongbuk-gu plans to collect these letters and deliver them to German government officials.