The installation of President Park Chung-hee's statue at Dongdaegu Station by Daegu City has led to opposition from public employee organizations after city officials were deployed for nighttime protection.

The statue of former President Park Chung-hee appeared at Dongdaegu Station Square, Dong-gu, Daegu, on the afternoon of the 23rd. While opinions are divided over the construction of the statue, there are also reactions at the scene that it does not resemble former President Park Chung-hee after the unveiling. /Courtesy of News1

According to Daegu City on the 25th, starting from the evening of the 24th, the city has been deploying administrative staff for night shifts to protect the statue of former President Park at the Dongdaegu Station plaza.

The working hours are from 6 p.m. on the same day to 9 a.m. the next day.

In response, the Daegu New Public Employees' Union, one of Daegu's public employee unions, issued a statement condemning the city, saying, “To guard a 600 million won statue of former President Park Chung-hee, administrative employees are being deployed to stand watch without rest.”

The union argued, “Despite most citizens opposing the anachronistic establishment of the statue of former President Park Chung-hee, the city forcibly held the unveiling ceremony on the 23rd and deployed staff for night watches. Daegu City needs to wake up and immediately revoke the work plans that require employees to guard the statue instead of spending a joyful time with their families during the year-end and New Year holidays.”

In response, Ahn Jung-gon, director of Daegu City's administration bureau, explained, “The Public Facilities Management Corporation is supposed to handle protection, but due to delays in increasing personnel, only the administration bureau is working for the time being. Since the statue has been unveiled, it is a necessary administrative measure to provide protection.”