South Korea's War Memorial Sparks Controversy Over Symbolism
A new Korean War memorial in Seoul's Gwanghwamun Square has ignited a dispute over its appropriateness in a public space associated with national identity and pro-democracy gatherings.
Gwanghwamun Square, a plaza in Seoul framed by royal palaces and monuments to Korean national identity, is at the centre of a dispute over whether a massive new Korean war memorial belongs in a public space seen as a major tourist attraction and long associated with civic gatherings and pro-democracy protests. A row of 23 stone monuments representing South Korea and the 22 foreign countries that fought alongside it during the 1950-53 war was recently unveiled at the square. Located across from.....