“Dongdaegu Station Site Owned by MOLIT”
“Installed Arbitrarily Without Consultation With MOLIT”
The Daegu branch of the Democratic Party announced on the 19th, "The monument for Park Chunghee Square, erected by the city of Daegu at Dongdaegu Station, has been confirmed as an illegal facility," and filed a complaint against Daegu Mayor Hong Joonpyo with the Daegu District Prosecutors' Office.
The Daegu Democratic Party held a press conference that day, stating, "Mayor Hong Joonpyo proceeded with the installation of the monument illegally and without authorization. The site of Dongdaegu Station is national land owned by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and is actually managed by the Korea National Railway. In 2007, the Korea National Railway (then the Korea Rail Network Authority) and the city of Daegu signed an agreement regarding the management of Dongdaegu Station. The agreement clearly classifies the land as state-owned, and Daegu City is only permitted to 'maintain and manage' it."
Politicians from the Democratic Party Daegu City Chapter held a press conference in front of the Daegu District Prosecutors' Office to announce that they will file a complaint against Daegu Mayor Hong Junpyo with the prosecution.
The Daegu branch of the Democratic Party continued, "While installing a permanent facility like the monument, Daegu City did not consult with either the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport or the Korea National Railway, the owners of the national land, and installed it arbitrarily. This was directly confirmed with both organizations by the National Assembly's Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee. All major figures of Daegu gathered at the unveiling ceremony for the square's monument, but in fact, they were applauding an illegal act. It is truly absurd," they added.
After the press conference, the Daegu branch of the Democratic Party announced that they would submit a complaint to the Daegu District Prosecutors' Office, requesting Mayor Hong Joonpyo be punished under Article 82 of the State Property Act for violating Article 7 (Protection of State Property) and Article 18 (Prohibition of Construction of Permanent Facilities).
Meanwhile, on the 14th, Daegu City held an unveiling ceremony for the "Park Chunghee Square Monument" at Dongdaegu Station. The event was organized to commemorate the spirit of industrialization of former President Park Chunghee, which marked the starting point of modernization in the 1960s, by naming the square in front of Dongdaegu Station "Park Chunghee Square" and reflecting on its meaning.
Daegu City plans to begin the Park Chunghee memorial project with the unveiling ceremony for the square's monument, then install a statue in the square by the end of the year, and complete the creation of Park Chunghee Park and installation of a statue within the park next year.
The Park Chunghee Square monument is a structure 0.8 meters wide and 5 meters high, featuring the dignified and powerful handwriting of former President Park Chunghee.
Daegu Mayor Hong Joonpyo stated, "The spirit of industrialization of President Park Chunghee can be said to be the driving force that made today's Daegu and Korea possible," and added, "I hope citizens will join in appreciating its significance so that Daegu can leap forward once again based on the spirit of industrialization."
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