Repaired Last Month at a Cost of 550,000 Won but Broken Again
Kim Seonghan, Key Player Who Led the Heytae Tigers' Glory Days
A sculpture modeled after baseball player Kim Seong-han, installed on the Fashion Street in Yongbong-dong, Buk-gu, Gwangju, was damaged again just a month after being repaired. On the 24th, Yonhap News reported that the baseball bat attached to the sculpture of former professional baseball player Kim Seong-han of the Haitai Tigers, installed on Fashion Street in Yongbong-dong, was found broken the previous morning.
This sculpture was created by Buk-gu, Gwangju in 2020 as part of the Fashion Street specialization project, but it was damaged in May 2023 when a drunk person broke the bat. [Photo by Buk-gu, Gwangju]
The sculpture was created by Buk-gu, Gwangju, in 2020 as part of the Fashion Street specialization project, but it was damaged in May 2023 when a drunk person broke the bat. Buk-gu spent 550,000 won to repair it again on the 27th of last month, about a year and five months later, but it was confirmed that someone broke the bat again in less than a month.
Despite the difficult restoration of the sculpture to its original state, it was damaged again in just one month, and the merchants' association has requested the police to punish the person who damaged the sculpture. Buk-gu considered changing the bat material from wood to aluminum to prevent recurrence, but even this is not easy. If the aluminum is forcibly damaged by someone, the wrist of the sculpture holding the bat could also break off.
Therefore, since the sculpture symbolizes Fashion Street, Buk-gu plans to restore it again and install a warning sign around it to urge caution. A Buk-gu official said, "Damaging public sculptures can be subject to criminal punishment, so please be especially careful."
[Photo by 21st at Gwangju Kia Champions Field before the start of Game 1 of the 2024 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO Postseason Korean Series between the Samsung Lions and KIA Tigers, former manager Kim Eung-yong threw the first pitch, Kim Seong-han performed the first bat swing, and Kim Jong-mo completed the first ball throw, posing together with Chairman Heo Gu-yeon. [Image source=Yonhap News]]
Meanwhile, player Kim Seong-han attended a pre-event at the first game of the Korean Series between the Kia Tigers and Samsung Lions. The ceremonial first pitch at this pre-event was performed by former manager Kim Eung-yong, which attracted attention. Along with Manager Kim, Kim Seong-han, a founding member of the Haitai Tigers who led the team's golden era including their first championship, performed the ceremonial first bat, and Kim Jong-mo, a KBO volunteer talent committee member, performed the ceremonial first ball.
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