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Korea Herald
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Symbol of tyranny breathes new life as museum of pro-democracy movement
Infamous Namyeong-dong interrogation rooms set to open June 10 as human rights museum The Namyeong-dong "anti-communism investigation office" has long been haunted by the memory of police brutality against pro-democracy activists that took place there in the 1970s and '80s, but the notorious venue has recently been repurposed as a museum and memorial hall dedicated to democracy and human rights. The National Museum of Democracy and Human Rights opens on June 10, marking 38 years since the June 10 Democratic Uprising of 1987 that finally toppled Chun Doo-hwan's military junta. The project was led by the government-affiliated Korea Democracy Foundation, which had worked to remodel the building since 2021 after being handed over its management rights from the National Police Agency. The office space in Yongsan's Namyeong-dong in central Seoul had been used for forcing confessions from pro-democracy activists during the dictatorial regimes of Chun and his predecessor Park Chung-hee. Its harrowing tales have often been featured in movies, with the office and Lee Geun-an — then a police officer known for being a torture expert under the dictatorial regimes — being the prominent feature of 2012 film "National Security," the Korean title of which translates as "Namyeong-dong 1985." In 2017's "1987: When the Day Comes," the torture and death of student activist Park Jong-chul at Namyeong-dong is what ignites the fire for the nationwide protest that culminates in the June 10 Uprising. Over 200 speakers have been installed to re-create the soundscape of the building's days as a torture chamber. Pounding on the wall, metal doors slamming shut and footsteps on the stairs can be heard throughout the building, hinting at the experience of being held in the infamous facility. The building had been revamped as an NPA human rights center, during which traces of such torture were removed, including an infamous microphone for recording covered up by plaster in the No. 10 interrogation room. Input from former security guards and the aforementioned Lee were used in the re-creation of its 15 interrogation rooms, according to officials of the KDF. Lee's testimony of his torture plays on loop on screens in the special interrogation room. Visitors can see where activists were tortured in inhumane ways, including the room where Park was bound subjected to waterboarding, which has a door that does not open from the inside and can only be opened by the interrogators pressing a green button. The building's nefarious nature lies not only in its history, but also the elaborate design of ingenious architect Kim Swoo-geun, considered one of the most important Korean architects of the 20th century. Kim designed the building so that none of the interrogation rooms would face each other, in a bid to prevent activists from sending signals to one another. The suspects would be taken in through an elevator and spiral stairway accessible via a narrow passageway in the back, so they would not come in contact with other employees of the office. Tiny windows were placed on the wall to prevent suicide, with tubs inside each room at the ready for waterboarding. A separate exhibition hall is dedicated to explaining pro-democracy movements throughout Korea's history, from the days of the country's inaugural President Syngman Rhee to key events like the Gwangju Uprising of May 18, 1980.
Straits Times
21-05-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Taobao sparks outrage by selling items featuring Korean dictator's face
Taobao has sparked controversy in South Korea for selling merchandize featuring portrat of former military dictator Chun Doo-hwan. FILE PHOTO: REUTERS SEOUL - A Chinese online shopping platform has sparked controversy in South Korea for selling merchandise featuring a portrait of former military dictator Chun Doo-hwan, prompting backlash from activists. South Korean civic activist Seo Kyoung-duk on May 20 demanded that Taobao, a major e-commerce platform operated by China's Alibaba Group, suspend the vendor from selling the items. 'Taobao is selling a wide range of products featuring Chun Doo-hwan's face, from short-sleeved T-shirts and hoodies to bags,' Professor Seo, who is a professor at Sungshin Women's University, wrote on Facebook. 'The image used is from his inauguration, following the bloody crackdown on the May 18 pro-democracy movement.' Prof Seo also criticised the design of the products, which include the words 'The South Face,' a play on the brand The North Face, implying Chun represents the face of the country. In an e-mail sent to Taobao, Prof Seo urged the company to stop selling the items, saying, 'Selling such products deeply hurts the families of the victims. At the very least, you should know what is appropriate to sell and what is not'. 'It is unacceptable to mock the painful history of another country, especially for profit,' he added. 'The Chinese must realise that actions like this will only lead to global isolation.' This is not the first time that Chinese nationals' use of Chun's image has stirred controversy. In February, Chinese fans displayed photos of Chun during an AFC Champions League Elite match between Gwangju FC and Shandong Taishan. That same month, a Chinese TikToker posted a video in which they roamed the streets of Gwangju while impersonating the former dictator. Gwangju has become a symbol of the Korean democratic movement, due to the many deaths and injuries that occurred under Chun's bloody crackdown on the Gwangju Democratic Uprising. Chun led a military coup in 1979 and ordered a brutal crackdown on the protests in Gwangju in May 1980. According to government records, 162 civilians were killed and 941 injured. Around 1,400 people, including high school and college students, were later arrested, many of whom were tortured or imprisoned. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
