"Seoul Subway Station Dokdo Model Removal Is Just Facility Replacement Due to Aging"..."Stop the Rumors!"

Seoul City Council People Power Party: "Dokdo Erasure Suspicion? It's Just Facility Replacement Due to Aging, Stop the Rumors!"... No Evidence of Removing Dokdo Model at Seoul Subway Stations to Erase Dokdo
Replacement Work Due to Aging, Stop Politicizing Dokdo Issue!
Jamsil and Gwanghwamun Stations Have Highest Congestion and Ridership in Seoul, Screen Installation and Model Remodeling Scheduled by October for Citizen Safety

Lee Seong-bae, the representative member of the People Power Party in the Seoul Metropolitan Council (People Power Party, Songpa 4), addressed the recent controversy over the removal of Dokdo sculptures at Seoul subway stations, stating that the issue is merely a replacement due to aging facilities and that the suspicions of erasing Dokdo are completely unfounded rumors. He urged an end to further agitation.

In mid-August, some media outlets reported that Dokdo sculptures installed at six Seoul subway stations (Jamsil Station, Anguk Station, Gwanghwamun Station, City Hall Station, Gimpo Airport Station, Itaewon Station) had been removed, raising suspicions that this was an attempt by the current government and Seoul city to erase Dokdo.

In response, Lee Seong-bae, the People Power Party representative member of the Seoul Metropolitan Council, expressed strong regret over the baseless speculation by some media and the Democratic Party that the removal was an attempt to erase Dokdo in Seoul, emphasizing that the sculptures were simply being replaced due to aging.

In particular, Lee Seong-bae (Songpa 4), representing the area west of Jamsil Station including Jamsil-dong, and Kim Gyu-nam (Songpa 1), representing the eastern areas of Pungnap-dong and Jamsil, opposed the Democratic Party’s tendency to politicize Dokdo by always creating issues and framing it as a betrayal of the nation. They stressed that this action was part of a project to remove and replace aging facilities and equipment within the stations, and that it was not limited to the Dokdo sculptures.

Lee Seong-bae and Kim Gyu-nam stated that the measures taken by the Seoul Metro Corporation were reasonable actions for the safety and convenience of citizens as local representatives. They requested the Democratic Party to refrain from further baseless speculation, noting that Dokdo can be represented in various ways beyond sculptures, and criticizing the party for politicizing the issue with one-dimensional logic.

Lee Seong-bae explained, “The Dokdo sculptures involved in this controversy were installed starting in 2009, making them 15 years old this year. Seoul Metro Corporation planned to remodel these aging facilities.” He added, “Moreover, the Dokdo sculptures were installed in subway stations with heavy foot traffic to promote Dokdo, but following the Itaewon tragedy, congestion issues arose, leading to the review and promotion of facility improvements at these stations.”

He continued, “During rush hours, congestion at Jamsil Station, City Hall Station, and Anguk Station exceeds 90%, sometimes surpassing 120%. Especially at Jamsil Station, which is near department stores and various cultural facilities and serves as a transfer station, the average daily number of passengers boarding and alighting (as of July) reaches 150,000, making its foot traffic overwhelmingly high compared to other stations.” He explained, “The sculptures affected passenger walking routes and congestion, and after 15 years, damage and discoloration occurred, making maintenance difficult, which led to the replacement work.”

Kim Gyu-nam, the People Power Party’s Planning Deputy Representative, also stated, “At the three stations where the Dokdo sculptures were removed due to high congestion (Jamsil Station, Anguk Station, Gwanghwamun Station), wall-mounted TVs will be installed to continuously broadcast videos showcasing the four seasons of Dokdo. The Dokdo models at the other three stations (City Hall Station, Gimpo Airport Station, Itaewon Station) will be refurbished and unveiled to citizens by October 20.”

He added, “This decision was made considering citizen attention, media utilization, and ease of management. Seoul Metro Corporation plans to post notices at the six stations and share progress regularly with citizens via social media to prevent further misunderstandings,” outlining the future schedule.

Finally, Lee Seong-bae said, “There are Dokdo symbols not only in subway stations but also in various locations throughout Seoul. The Seoul Metropolitan Council building, where the People Power Party holds the majority, also has a TV screen displaying Dokdo.” He expressed disappointment at the Democratic Party’s attempt to involve Dokdo in attacks against the government and Seoul city, strongly requesting that such baseless claims cease immediately.