Seoul City Plans to Dismantle 'Sewol Ferry Memorial Space' in Gwanghwamun on 26th... Families and Civic Groups Oppose

Seoul City Rejects Proposal to Form a Preservation Plan Consultative Group with Bereaved Families
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[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] Despite demands from the Sewol ferry victims' families and related civic groups for alternatives, Seoul City is set to proceed with the demolition of the 'Sewol Memory Space' for the Gwanghwamun Plaza restructuring project. If Seoul City, which has notified the demolition work by the 26th, moves forward with forced demolition, a clash is inevitable.

Seoul City notified the families of the April 16 Sewol Ferry Disaster Families Association and the April 16 Promise National Solidarity (4·16 Solidarity) that demolition work would begin on the morning of the 26th. Prior to the full-scale demolition, Seoul City had informed the families on the 5th about the demolition of the Sewol Memory Space and requested that internal items be organized before the demolition. From the 23rd, Seoul City officials visited the Sewol Memory Space to pressure the families who were blocking the demolition.

The Sewol Memory Space is a wooden building newly established on April 12, 2019. It was agreed to operate it until December 2019 according to the Gwanghwamun restructuring project schedule, but through further negotiations, the demolition was postponed until the end of last year. The families have requested Seoul City to form a consultative body to discuss ways to preserve the Memory Space, but Seoul City has not accepted this.

Amid the ongoing standoff between the Sewol victims' families and Seoul City over the demolition of the Memory Space, the families plan to guard the site to prevent a surprise demolition. The families stated, "We want to discuss alternatives to remember the Sewol disaster in a place where citizens can see it as they pass by," and added, "We plan to convey our position to Seoul City while avoiding physical confrontation."

Civic groups have also been issuing statements demanding the preservation of the Memory Space one after another. On the 25th, Citizen Net, a civic group consisting of victims' families including those of the Daegu subway disaster and the late Kim Yong-gyun's mother, announced that they delivered a letter to Mayor Oh Se-hoon, earnestly requesting that Seoul City stop the demolition of the Sewol Memory Space and prepare a plan to preserve it.

Meanwhile, the Lawyers for a Democratic Society (Minbyun) has filed an urgent relief petition with the National Human Rights Commission regarding the suspension of the Memory Space demolition.