Pig Head Followed by 'Animal Fat' Thrown
Residents and International Students Fail to Reach Compromise
In Daehyeon-dong, Buk-gu, Daegu, where conflicts over the construction of an Islamic temple are intensifying, controversy has arisen as a substance presumed to be animal fat was reportedly spread in an alley in front of the temple construction site.
Muaz Rajak, head of the Muslim Community Media at Kyungpook National University, posted on his Facebook on the 8th, "Last night, some people came and dumped trash (probably pig fat) in the alley," along with photos and closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage.
Around 3 p.m. on the 8th, an alley in front of the construction site of the Islamic mosque in Daehyeon-dong, Buk-gu, Daegu. The owner of the Islamic mosque claims that someone scattered animal fat. [Photo by Yonhap News]
In a video released by the Islamic temple builder, around 7:30 p.m. the previous day, someone can be seen repeatedly pouring a liquid onto the alley floor with a pot for about 20 seconds.
Another person appeared to shield their face with an umbrella while looking around cautiously. Afterwards, they each disappeared in different directions down the alley.
Also, around 3:05 p.m. that day, an unknown white substance was scattered over about 2 meters in front of the temple. It was slippery when stepped on but did not emit a foul odor.
The builder's side speculated, "Considering the smell of the substance and the previous appearance of a pig's head in front of the temple, it is presumed to be animal fat," adding, "We have filed a complaint with the National Petition Board and plan to report it to the police later."
As the controversy grew, the opposition committee against the Islamic temple construction denied involvement. The committee stated, "We also learned about this today after being contacted by reporters. So far, we have confirmed that the person involved is not a resident affiliated with the committee."
A police official said, "We need to investigate whether the alley is private or public property and other factors before determining whether criminal charges can be filed."
Nearly Two Years of Conflict Between Temple Builder and Nearby Residents Over Construction
Some residents of Daehyeon-dong caused controversy last October by placing a pig's head in front of the construction site of an Islamic temple. [Photo by Yonhap News]
The conflict over the Islamic temple construction began in September 2020. Seven Muslim international students centered around Kyungpook National University applied for a building permit from Buk-gu Office in Daegu to change the use of a single-family house held under joint ownership to a 'Type 2 Neighborhood Living Facility Religious Assembly Hall.'
The total area is 245 square meters (㎡, 74 pyeong). Buk-gu Office approved the construction permit as there were no legal restrictions on building a religious assembly hall in this area.
However, after learning about this, about 350 residents submitted a petition opposing the construction to Buk-gu Office. The office issued an administrative order to halt construction until the complaints were resolved through agreement with the residents.
In response, the temple builder filed a lawsuit against Buk-gu Office to cancel the construction suspension order, and the court ruled in favor of the builder in the first trial, the second trial, and the Supreme Court.
The conflict between the residents and the international students has not been easily resolved. Nearly two years of ongoing conflict between the builder and nearby residents continues.
Some Daehyeon-dong residents caused controversy by placing a pig's head in front of the Islamic temple construction site last October. In December, they also cooked and ate whole pig barbecue near the temple construction site. In Islamic civilization, eating pork is considered a sin.
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