The request by the Korea Railroad Corporation to remove the statue of former President Park Chung-hee from Dongdaegu Station Plaza has been dismissed by the court. The city of Daegu erected the statue on state-owned land without prior consultation, spending 600 million won, and deployed civil servants for night shifts to guard it immediately after the unveiling.
On October 1, the 11th Civil Division of the Daegu District Court, led by Judge Kwon Jun-beom, rejected all claims made by the Korea Railroad Corporation against the city of Daegu regarding the removal of the structure. The court also ruled that the corporation would bear the costs of the lawsuit. This marks the first judicial ruling nearly one year and nine months after the statue was erected in December 2024.
The Dongdaegu Station Plaza is situated on an elevated structure rather than at ground level. The corporation argued that it owns the facility and land since the legal confirmation of the elevated bridge's completion had not been finalized. However, the court acknowledged the corporation's ownership but determined that the city of Daegu has the right to use the plaza based on an agreement with the corporation. Since the completion of the bridge expansion project in November 2017, the city has effectively managed the plaza's facilities, and the court reiterated that the responsibility for maintenance lies with the city.
The court found that the political controversy surrounding the statue did not justify exceeding the city's rights to use and manage the plaza. It also concluded that there was no evidence to support claims of structural or safety risks that would necessitate removal.
The corporation maintained that the statue was installed without prior consultation or consent on state-owned land. It filed for a temporary injunction to halt the unveiling just before the ceremony and subsequently initiated a lawsuit in January of the following year demanding the removal of the structure. The court interpreted the city's request for opinions sent to the corporation before the bridge's completion as a request for consultation rather than a formal approval process.
The statue stands 3 meters tall and cost approximately 600 million won to construct. The city of Daegu held the unveiling ceremony on December 23, 2024, coinciding with the 107th anniversary of Park's birth, amid opposition from civic groups. From the day of the unveiling until January 3, 2025, the city mobilized administrative staff to guard the statue during night shifts from 6 p.m. to 9 a.m. The Daegu New Public Servants Union demanded the withdrawal of the plan, labeling the staff deployment as a watch duty, and the shifts were discontinued by the end of January the following year.
Civic groups have criticized the city for not following necessary procedures, such as review by a committee and notification to national agencies. Groups like Daegu Participation Solidarity have stated that the ruling does not align with historical and constitutional values and have called for the corporation to appeal immediately.
On the opposing side, members of conservative groups gathered outside the courthouse on the day of the ruling to celebrate the dismissal. On September 28, a petition with 30,602 signatures supporting the statue's preservation was submitted to the Daegu District Court.
The corporation plans to decide whether to appeal after reviewing the ruling document. The deadline for filing an appeal is two weeks from the date of receipt of the ruling document.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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