Another Damaged 'Jeong Yul-seong Bust'... Second Time This Month

Report received at duty office on the 14th... Police report filed
Gwangju "Investigating the circumstances"

The bust of Jeong Yul-seong, which had been placed on the pedestal, was found fallen again, and the local government is investigating the circumstances.

According to Nam-gu, Gwangju on the 14th, a report was received at the duty office around 5:47 a.m. that the bust of Jeong Yul-seong on Jeong Yul-seong-ro in Nam-gu, Gwangju, was found lying on the ground.

On the morning of the 14th, the statue of Jeong Yul-seong located on Jeong Yul-seong-ro in Nam-gu, Gwangju, was damaged.
[Photo by Nam-gu Office, Gwangju]

Upon inspection of the scene, the bust was found fallen from the pedestal onto the adjacent ground, and the side of the pedestal was partially damaged. Nam-gu wrapped a safety belt around the bust and informed the police to investigate the situation.

Jeong Yul-seong was a musician born in Gwangju who naturalized in China. He joined the Chinese Communist Party in 1939 and participated in the Korean War, composing pieces such as the Chinese People's Volunteer Army March and the Korean People's Army March. It is known that this bust was created by a Chinese youth organization and donated to a youth organization in the Gwangju area.

On the 11th, the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs recommended to Gwangju City to halt the Jeong Yul-seong commemorative project and dismantle commemorative facilities including the bust, but Gwangju City responded, "The commemorative project is a local government affair, a Korea-China friendship exchange project that has continued for 35 years, and there is no illegality."

The Jeong Yul-seong bust was toppled on the 1st by Yoon (56), a member of a conservative group urging opposition to the 'Jeong Yul-seong Historical Park Development Project,' who tied a rope around the neck of the bust and pulled it down with a 2.5-ton van.

Afterwards, the bust was placed back on the pedestal on the 12th by an unidentified person, but was found fallen again on this day.

A Nam-gu official stated, "We plan to discuss how to handle the bust at a meeting on the 16th."