Budgets Range from 30 Million to 2 Billion Won... Statues Erected Across the Country [Statue Report]

Statues in South Korea: Examining Height and Cost
Statues Assert Authority Through Their Height
Statues of Heroes and Leaders Are Built Larger and Taller

Editor's NoteA statue erected to honor the achievements of an individual and to pass on their legacy to future generations. Preserving someone's likeness in perpetuity goes beyond mere sculpture creation. How many statues has modern South Korea erected, and of whom? Asia Economy analyzed records of unveiling ceremonies for statues of real historical figures from 1990 to this month, sourced from portal sites and local government websites.

The height of a statue directly correlates with the authority of the person it represents. It is designed to be overwhelmingly tall to inspire awe. The average height of statues erected since 1900, excluding their pedestals, reached an impressive 4.3 meters, well above average human height. Some statues, such as those of the maritime king Jang Bogo and Admiral Yi Sun-sin, boast a towering height of 15 meters.

On the 13th, Asia Economy analyzed 116 statues out of 215 unveiled between 1990 and April 2025 for which official size data was available. The tallest statue was found to be that of Jang Bogo, erected in 2009 in Wando-gun, Jeollanam-do. Made of bronze, this statue stands 15.5 meters tall and weighs 52 tons; including the pedestal, the total height reaches 31.7 meters.

Jang Bogo is recognized for establishing Cheonghaejin in Wando, suppressing pirates, and pioneering maritime trade routes. Considering this, Wando-gun erected the statue at the historic site of Cheonghaejin in Wando-eup, overlooking the South Sea, emphasizing at the time of installation that it was "the largest Jang Bogo statue in Asia."

Statue of the Maritime King Jang Bogo erected in Wando-gun, Jeollanam-do. Wando County Office.

The second tallest statue is the 15-meter-tall Admiral Yi Sun-sin statue in Jindo-gun, Jeollanam-do. Including its 15-meter pedestal, the total height is 30 meters, slightly shorter than the Jang Bogo statue. The statue is located in Nokjin-ri, Gunnae-myeon, the site of the victorious Battle of Myeongnyang. Admiral Yi is known for using the currents of Uldolmok Strait to annihilate 133 Japanese ships with only 13 warships. When unveiled in 2008, Jindo-gun introduced it as "the largest Yi Sun-sin statue in the country."

While some statues reach heights of 15 meters, the average height excluding pedestals is 4.3 meters. Statues of generals and past kings are generally taller than average to emphasize their authority. The King Sejong statue erected in 2009 at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul stands 6.2 meters tall with a 4.2-meter pedestal, totaling 10.4 meters. The General Song Mun-ju statue unveiled in 2017 in Anseong-si, Gyeonggi-do, is 5 meters tall and reaches 11 meters including the pedestal.

Statues of former presidents show similar trends. The Kim Dae-jung statue built in 2010 in Muan-gun, Jeollanam-do, stands 6.3 meters tall including a 2-meter pedestal, while the Park Chung-hee statue erected in 2011 in Gumi-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do, is over 5 meters tall with a 0.4-meter pedestal.

Many statues are made close to the actual height of the person. The Ban Ki-moon statue made in 2010 in Eumseong-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do, was created at the former UN Secretary-General's real-life size. The novelist Park Kyung-ni, author of "Toji," is depicted in statues in Tongyeong-si and Hadong-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do, shown holding an open book. These statues are about 1.35 meters tall, close to her actual height, and 1.4 meters including the pedestal.

Statue of Park Kyung-ri erected in Tongyeong City, Gyeongsangnam-do. Park Kyung-ri Memorial Hall.

Meanwhile, budgets for statues vary widely. Among 60 statues with available budget data, the Park Chung-hee statue erected in December last year in Andong-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do, was funded by 2 billion KRW raised by the construction promotion committee.

The Admiral Yi Sun-sin statue in Asan-si, Chungcheongnam-do, cost 1.5 billion KRW, including donations from residents. On the other hand, some statues cost less than 100 million KRW; for example, the statue of master singer Song Man-gap erected in 2005 in Gurye-gun, Jeollanam-do, cost 35 million KRW, and the statue of the late Kim Bok-dong, a victim of Japanese military sexual slavery, erected in 2019 in Icheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, cost 57 million KRW.

How We Analyzed

From 1990, we conducted a comprehensive survey of press releases and municipal news containing the keywords "statue" and "unveiling" on portal sites and local government websites. We compiled records of statue unveiling ceremonies held from 1990 through April this year.

We excluded busts and reliefs, analyzing only statues erected in the likeness of real historical figures. Therefore, statues such as the late Kim Bok-dong's statue were excluded from the analysis, as were the Statue of Peace and laborer statues. Statues erected at educational institutions like universities were also excluded; only those in public places such as parks and memorial halls were included.