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Mullae Park

Coordinates: 37°30′58″N 126°53′38″E / 37.51611°N 126.89389°E / 37.51611; 126.89389
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Mullae Park
The park, viewed from the north. Sports courts are visible. In the background, the rear of the fenced-off bust of Park Chung Hee is visible. (2023)
Map
LocationMullae-dong, Yeongdeungpo District, Seoul, South Korea
Coordinates37°30′58″N 126°53′38″E / 37.51611°N 126.89389°E / 37.51611; 126.89389
Established1986

Mullae Park (Korean: 문래공원; Hanja: 文來公園) is a park in Mullae-dong, Yeongdeungpo District, Seoul, South Korea. The park was established in 1986 and is widely used for leisure and exercise by nearby residents.[1]

Before it was a park, it hosted several military facilities. Now, a large number of civilian amenities fill the area, including walkways, exercise equipment, playgrounds, and air purifiers.[2]

Relationship to Park Chung Hee

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The bunker door, next to a playground. The door is unlabeled; the sign to the right describes it only as a "preserved area", and warns parents to keep their children away from it. (2023)

The park was once host to the South Korean Army's 6th District Headquarters: the birthplace of the May 16 Coup of 1961. It was during this coup that Park Chung Hee seized power.[2][3] All that remains of the former bases is an underground bunker, the entrance to which is now behind a locked and unmarked door, near a children's playground.[4]

Bust of Park

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To commemorate this part of history, a bust depicting Park during his military years has been in the park since 1985.[3] In 2000, after the Center for Historical Truth and Justice unveiled research on Park's blood oath of loyalty to Japan, the bust had a Japanese Rising Sun Flag tied to it, was knocked over, and dragged to the campus of Hongik University.[4] The bust's nose was damaged in the process. The statue was reinstalled, and the nose was repaired by a memorial foundation to Park in 2006.[4] In December 2016, during protests for the impeachment of Park's daughter President Park Geun-hye, Choe Hwang (최황) wrote "remove" ("철거하라") in red spray paint on the statue.[5][4] Choe wrote angrily on Facebook about Park Chung Hee's role as a pro-Japanese collaborator ("chinilpa") and military dictator. For this, he was fined one million won.[4][5]

The bust is now protected behind an iron fence. A nearby sign, prepared by the memorial foundation to Park, warns people of consequences for vandalism towards either the bust or the bunker.[4]

References

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  1. ^ "기후위기 극복 도시숲, 서울 영등포 문래공원에서 만나요" [A City Forest to Overcome Climate Change; Let's Meet in Mullae Park, in the Yeongdeungpo District of Seoul]. 생명의숲. Archived from the original on 2024-01-09. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
  2. ^ a b "철공소 골목의 변신! 문래근린공원·문래창작촌" [The Transformation of an Ironworking Alley! Mullae Neighborhood Park, Mullae Creative Village]. mediahub.seoul.go.kr (in Korean). Archived from the original on 2024-01-09. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
  3. ^ a b "고（故） 박정희 대통령 흉상" [Past President Park Chung Hee Bust]. www.ydp.go.kr. Archived from the original on 2024-01-09. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
  4. ^ a b c d e f 손, 호철 (2021-07-23). "철거냐 존치냐, 서울 복판 박정희 흉상을 보며" [Remove or Respect, Examining the Bust of Park Chung Hee in the Heart of Seoul]. Pressian (in Korean). Archived from the original on 2024-01-09. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
  5. ^ a b "Bust idolizing President's father vandalized". The Korea Times. 2016-12-06. Archived from the original on 2024-01-17. Retrieved 2024-01-17.
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