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| The sculpture of former president Park Chung-hee was found covered in red spray on Sunday in the middle of Mullae Park in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. / Screencaptured from the Internet |
By Hong Dam-young
A citizen enraged at the ongoing political scandal has destroyed a bust of President Park Geun-hye's father.
The sculpture of former president Park Chung-hee was found covered in red spray on Sunday in the middle of Mullae Park in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul.
The nose was damaged as if hammered, and the 1.8 meter pedestal beneath the bust was covered in red letters reading, "Tear it down."
Park Chung-hee, a military strongman who led Korea for 18 years, has been a revered figure by older Koreans for leading the nation out of poverty.
He came to power in a military coup in 1961 and ruled with an iron fist until his spy chief assassinated him in 1979.
But he remains a deeply divisive figure in Korea for ruling with martial law and executing dissidents branded as communists.
A man surnamed Choi said he vandalized the statue to give the local government a reason to demolish it, according to online news outlet Oh My News on Monday.
With President Park facing nationwide pressure to step down, civic groups have been calling on the government to remove the bust. Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon had said he would seek a way to remove it.
"Park Chung-hee has undermined democracy and compromised the nation's constitutional ground," said Choi.
"Since the bust is destroyed, the government might as well tear it down," he reportedly said.
Police said Choi could be charged of damaging public property. It was the second time the bust has been destroyed since 2000, when 20 people tried to remove it with a rope.
On Dec. 1, the birthplace of the former president in Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province, was destroyed in an alleged arson attack by another citizen angry about the president.
The city revealed at a press conference that restoration would cost 90 million won ($77,000), while a local fire station estimated the cost at a much lower 3.3 million won.
As controversy arose over the two estimates, Gumi city officials said on Monday the cost had been wrongly calculated and it would cost much less. The exact cost has not yet been confirmed.
