"Insurrection" Spray-Painted on Yoon Suk Yeol Calligraphy Marker at Changwon Industrial Complex Remains an Eyesore for Over a Year and a Half

Changwon Industrial Complex Marker Installed in 2024

Left Covered with Cloth After "Insurrection" Was Spray-Painted

The commemorative marker installed to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the designation of Changwon National Industrial Complex in Gyeongnam in 2024 has been left covered with cloth for over a year and a half, effectively becoming a source of controversy. This is because the phrase "Rebellion" was spray-painted in black on the marker, which features the calligraphy of then-President Yoon Suk-yeol.

The phrase "rebellion" is painted on the commemorative monument marking the 50th anniversary of the designation of Changwon National Industrial Complex. Provided by the Gyeongnam Headquarters of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, Yonhap News Agency.

According to Yonhap News Agency on the 27th, a commemorative marker inscribed with former President Yoon Suk-yeol's calligraphy stands on the grounds of the Gyeongnam Regional Headquarters of the Korea Industrial Complex Corporation in Oedong, Seongsan-gu, Changwon. The marker was installed in 2024 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the designation of the Changwon National Industrial Complex, alongside symbolic sculptures and a memorial space, and was unveiled at the commemorative ceremony in April 2024. The city received the entire project budget of 700 million won from the national government and spent 13 million won on the marker itself. Since then, the city has been responsible for the management work of the marker and related sculptures.

At the time of its installation, the calligraphy stone by the sitting president was regarded as a symbol of the past glory and status of the Changwon National Industrial Complex. However, the situation changed drastically after the December 3 Martial Law in 2024. A few days after martial law was declared, the phrase "Rebellion" was spray-painted in black on the marker, and since then, it has remained covered with cloth and treated as a troublesome burden.

Calligraphy Stone of Yoon Suk Yeol at Changwon National Industrial Complex Covered with Cloth. Photo by Yonhap News

Some civic groups, including labor organizations, have been calling for the removal of the marker. However, the city, which is responsible for its management, has been unable to either display or remove the marker, and a year and a half has passed. Up to now, the city has maintained that it will decide how to handle the marker after the judiciary reaches a verdict regarding the Gyeongnam Headquarters of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions official, who was sent to prosecutors on charges of property damage for writing the phrase "Rebellion" on the marker immediately after martial law was declared.

The city and the Industrial Complex Corporation are scheduled to hold a meeting on the 30th to discuss management plans for the symbolic sculptures, including whether to take action regarding the marker. The city is expected to express the opinion that, given the entire installation was funded by the national budget and the sculptures are located on the Industrial Complex Corporation's land, it would be preferable for the corporation to assume management work in the future. However, as the city believes a sufficient social consensus must be formed before deciding on the removal of the marker, it is considered unlikely that an immediate decision will be made at this time.

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