Namyeong-dong 'Spiral 72 Steps', President Moon Visits the Fearsome Interrogation Room

Security Headquarters Anti-Communist Division, Building Structure Stimulating Isolation and Fear... "The Sound of the Security Door Opening Is Like a Tank Rolling Noise"

[Asia Economy Reporter Ryu Jeong-min] "How can we maximize the sense of complete isolation and fear for the people brought here, the people who were taken away? The design is oriented in that direction."

This was the explanation given by Yoo Dong-woo, the director of the Democratic Human Rights Memorial Hall, at the former Namyeong-dong Anti-Communist Investigation Office of the Security Headquarters (scheduled to become the Democratic Human Rights Memorial Hall) in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 10th.

The Namyeong-dong Anti-Communist Investigation Office, which emerged as a symbol of democracy and human rights suppression in the 1980s. Numerous democracy activists suffered harsh treatment here, even enduring water torture, standing at the crossroads of life and death. President Moon Jae-in visited the Namyeong-dong Anti-Communist Investigation Office with on-site officials after the 33rd anniversary 6.10 Democratic Uprising commemoration ceremony that day.

Director Yoo said, "It was first built as a 5-story building in 1976 as the Security Headquarters Anti-Communist Investigation Office, and then expanded to 7 stories in 1983 during the Chun Doo-hwan regime," adding, "When you look at the main gate you passed through earlier, it consists of two iron doors. There is a protective door as well, and when you pass through it blindfolded, the sound of that protective door opening is like the roar of a tank rolling, and you hear it without knowing where you are being taken."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Entering the Namyeong-dong Anti-Communist Investigation Office means experiencing extreme pain. During the era of democracy suppression, numerous underground democracy activists, religious figures, and students experienced extreme fear here. President Moon checked the iron door preserved in its original form and stood in front of the stairs leading to the interrogation rooms. The stairs are spiral-shaped, extending up to the 5th floor.

Director Yoo said, "The 5th-floor interrogation room is reached by climbing the iron spiral staircase. The spiral staircase has 72 steps and makes three full turns," adding, "The spiral staircase has no exit passages on the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th floors. The moment you step on it, you are taken all the way up to the 5th floor and directly to the interrogation room."

President Moon arrived at interrogation room 509 in Namyeong-dong by elevator and looked at the bathtub where martyr Park Jong-cheol was subjected to water torture in 1987. After a floral tribute prepared by First Lady Kim Jung-sook, a moment of silence was observed. President Moon said, "This itself immediately brings a sense of fear. It shows that water torture was planned."

While conversing with Monk Ji-seon, President Moon said, "It is a great courage that the police have turned this place into a space commemorating democracy and human rights." Outside the waiting room of room 509, Park Jong-cheol’s older brother Park Jong-bu and National Police Agency Commissioner Min Gap-ryong were waiting.

President Moon said to Commissioner Min, "Thank you for providing this place as a space to commemorate democracy and human rights, and also for publicly apologizing yesterday." Commissioner Min said, "We will ensure that all new police officers reflect and repent accordingly."

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