Plans Underway for Hakdong Disaster Memorial Space to Honor Victims, Completion Targeted for 2029

Sculpture Inscribed with Victims' Names and Nine Trees to Be Installed

On the fifth anniversary of the Hakdong 4 District redevelopment collapse disaster, plans for a memorial space to honor the victims have been released. The memorial is scheduled to be established in 2029, coinciding with the completion of the Hakdong 4 District redevelopment project.

According to the city of Gwangju on June 10, IPARK Hyundai Development Company announced at the fifth anniversary memorial ceremony held in front of Dong-gu District Office in Gwangju the previous day that a memorial space would be created on a 315-square-meter site in front of the Hakdong Administrative Welfare Center, which serves as a green connection area for the apartment complex.

Plan for Memorial Space for Hakdong 4 District Collapse Disaster [Provided by IPARK Hyundai Development Company · Yonhap News]

The memorial will feature a sculpture inscribed with the names of the victims and nine trees. It is intended to remember and mourn the victims, and will also be open to the public as a space for reflection and rest.

The Hakdong 4 District redevelopment project, which began construction in January of this year, is scheduled for completion in 2029. The memorial space is expected to be established in line with this timeline.

More than 100 people attended the ceremony, including Min Hyung-bae, Mayor-Elect of the Greater Jeonnam-Gwangju Special City, Ko Gwang-wan, Administrative Vice Mayor of Gwangju, Lim Taek, Head of Dong-gu District, and bereaved families. The event began with a performance by the Sewol 4·16 Choir, followed by a moment of silence and floral tribute at 4:22 p.m., the exact time of the disaster, as well as memorial speeches and performances.

Family representative Lee Jineui stated in a memorial speech, "We lost our beloved family members due to failures in supervision, illegal acts by the redevelopment association, and the contractor's illegal activities and disregard for safety." He added, "I hope that the Greater Jeonnam-Gwangju Special City will become a leading city in institutionalizing support systems and protecting the rights of disaster victims."

The Hakdong 4 District redevelopment collapse disaster occurred on June 9, 2021, at the Hakdong 4 District redevelopment site in Dong-gu, Gwangju. A five-story building with one basement level, which was in the process of demolition, collapsed and crushed a city bus, resulting in nine deaths and eight injuries.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.