A, 80, who was born in Hamgyeong Province and said the family came south in 1948 with the mother carrying the child on her back, gazed for a long time on the 22nd at the Korean War participating nations memorial sculpture "Light of Gratitude 23," erected in Gwanghwamun Plaza in Seoul. A recalled feeling regret a few years ago when visiting the United Nations Memorial Cemetery in Busan because there were not many visitors.
While debate continues in political circles over the form of the sculpture and the project budget, many of the citizens and tourists encountered on site that day reacted that "the Korean War is, of course, a history that should be commemorated and remembered." The point was that simply placing such a space in the middle of a plaza where many people come and go is not in itself a problem.
◇ Twenty-three stone pillars standing in the middle of Gwanghwamun Plaza… Tourists and students stop by
The morning of the 22nd at Gwanghwamun Plaza in Seoul. Foreign tourists walking between the statues of King Sejong and Admiral Yi Sun-sin stopped in front of an unfamiliar stone installation. They were 23 stone pillars, each 6.25 meters tall, lined up in a long row from south to north. Tourists slowly circled the work and took photos.
At first, people asked, "What does this symbolize?" After hearing the explanation that it represents the 22 countries that participated in the Korean War and the Republic of Korea, they nodded, saying, "Wow." This installation is the aboveground sculpture of the Korean War participating nations memorial space "Garden of Gratitude," which opened on the 12th. It is a space designed so that citizens and tourists passing through Gwanghwamun Plaza naturally encounter the meaning of the Korean War and the participating nations.
Elementary and middle school students on a field trip were also in the plaza that day. The students took group photos in front of "Light of Gratitude 23" and looked around the installation while listening to their teacher's explanation. The very center of Gwanghwamun Plaza, which they would normally have just passed by, became the site of a brief history lesson.
◇ Underground exhibition space "Freedom Hall" draws 10,000 visitors in 10 days
The "Garden of Gratitude" connects to the underground exhibition space "Freedom Hall." Of the total project cost of about 20.6 billion won, 16.7 billion won, or 81%, was spent on creating Freedom Hall. Since it opened on the 12th, an average of about 1,000 people a day have visited, surpassing 10,000 visitors in 10 days.
Upon entering Freedom Hall, videos flowed from 23 triangular LED pillars installed on the left wall. Along with the "Bloom Together" video, inspired by the national flowers of the participating countries, the phrase "We will not forget their sacrifice" appeared. Park, a 23-year-old college student viewing the exhibit, said, "It was grand and particularly impressive."
On the opposite wall, a video showed Korea's development after the Korean War. Interviews with foreign veterans were followed by interviews with people engaged in contributions to the international community. It showed how Korea changed from a "recipient country" that received aid after the war to a "donor country" that helps others.
In the middle of the exhibition hall stood a spherical media installation called the "Window of Connection." When a visitor selected a photo from the time of the Korean War on the front screen, the same image appeared in the Window of Connection. The black-and-white photo was converted into a moving color video through artificial intelligence (AI) technology.
Inside, there was also a "Wall of Archiving Gratitude." By tapping a kiosk-style screen, visitors could view introductions and interviews of Korean War veterans by country. There was also an interactive space where a gratitude message left for a veteran would immediately appear on the exhibition wall.
◇ Political circles criticize it as "waste of taxpayers' money"… Citizens say "a space to remember is needed"
Since the Garden of Gratitude opened to the public, arguments have continued in political circles. The criticism falls largely into two categories. One is that the form of the aboveground installation can be read as a militaristic symbol, and the other is that the overall project cost is excessive.
The Democratic Party of Korea argued that installing the aboveground installation "Light of Gratitude 23" modeled after "present arms," imitating the ceremonial guard posture of foreign militaries, "is an act that tarnishes the identity of the plaza by making it militaristic and dependent on foreign powers." Democratic Party lawmakers also held one-person protests in Gwanghwamun Plaza during lunchtime, holding pickets with phrases such as "20.6 billion won in wasted taxpayers' money."
However, most citizens encountered at the Garden of Gratitude that day said it "doesn't seem to be a problem." Go, a 20-year-old studying in the United States, said, "The Korean War was when the foundations of our country were shaken, and of course it should be commemorated and remembered," adding, "It's disappointing to see it dragged into a political issue."
An, a 35-year-old office worker, also said, "I don't see why it's a problem to create a space in a place where many people pass by to recall a historical event." An said, "Since Gwanghwamun Plaza is a place constantly visited by citizens and tourists, having a space that carries historical meaning seems natural."
Robert Eckerlin, 57, traveling from Germany with his spouse, said the very existence of a venue where historical events can be discussed can be meaningful. Eckerlin said, "In Germany, debates over historical issues from World War II are still ongoing," adding, "Korea is still a divided country, and in that sense, wouldn't it be good to have a space where the Korean War can be discussed?"