Announcement of Winning Entries for the International Design Competition of the Korean War Civilian Victims Memorial Facility

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] In an international design competition to build a memorial facility for civilian victims before and after the Korean War, SGHS Design Company (CEO Lee Jong-cheol)'s "Motonymic Juxtaposition" was selected.

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety and Dong-gu, Daejeon Metropolitan City announced the winning design for the nationwide memorial facility for civilian victims before and after the Korean War, tentatively named "Forest of Truth and Reconciliation," to be built in Goryeonggol, Nangwol-dong, Dong-gu. A total of 109 teams from 42 countries participated in the competition held from September 11 to November 30, and 10 teams were selected in the first round and advanced to the second round.

The winning design, "Motonymic Juxtaposition," attracted attention by expressing the tragic event of the Korean War and the historical memory of the victims as a forest park. It focused on comprehensively representing spaces connected to the site of tragedy to help future generations remember and reflect on the darkest parts of history. The memorial spaces are arranged along the terrain, expanding and connecting the surrounding forests, allowing visitors to walk and contemplate.

The memorial facility project was promoted following the recommendation of the first Truth and Reconciliation Commission for the Past, which ended its activities in 2010, to excavate remains of all civilian victims before and after the Korean War and to build a unified reconciliation and memorial facility. In 2016, the government selected the collective victim site in Nangwol-dong, Dong-gu, Daejeon, as the project site through a public contest for local governments, considering the project's relevance, historical symbolism, and accessibility.

Currently, about 2,500 remains excavated by the first Truth and Reconciliation Commission and local governments are temporarily enshrined at the "House of Remembrance" in Sejong City, and the project to gather remains of civilian victims nationwide in one place has officially begun.

The Forest of Truth and Reconciliation will be built with a total project cost of 40.2 billion KRW, covering a site area of approximately 98,000㎡ and a total building floor area of about 3,800㎡. Basic and detailed designs will be completed by 2022, and construction is planned to be finished by 2024. Additionally, excavation of the estimated burial site of remains in Sannae Goryeonggol within the project site will be conducted by 2022.

Hong Jong-wan, head of the Past Affairs Support Group at the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, said, "We will do our best to ensure that this memorial facility comforts the souls of civilian victims before and after the Korean War and the pain of their bereaved families, while becoming a symbol of reconciliation and healing as well as a global venue for human rights, peace, history, and education."

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