"Compensate Victims of Hyeongjebokjiwon"... Protest at Busan Gwangandaegyo Bridge

An incident occurred where a person climbed the railing of Busan Gwangandaegyo Bridge and staged a sit-in protest demanding compensation for the victims of the Hyeongjebokjiwon case.

According to the police, at around 5:20 a.m. on the 14th, Mr. A (53) climbed the railing between the upper and lower decks of Busan Gwangandaegyo Bridge and began his protest. He took a taxi across the Gwangandaegyo Bridge, got off around the middle of the upper deck, and then descended to the railing.

[Photo by Busan Fire and Disaster Headquarters]

The taxi driver who witnessed this reported it to the police, and police, fire department, and coast guard units were dispatched urgently. An air mattress was installed on the lower deck of the Gwangandaegyo Bridge, and rescue boats were deployed at sea.

Mr. A claimed to be a victim of the Hyeongjebokjiwon case and demanded the enactment of a Busan city ordinance and the recall of the Busan mayor, stating that he would continue his protest until his demands were met.

Lee Seong-gwon, the Deputy Mayor for Economic Affairs, went to the scene to persuade Mr. A on behalf of Park Hyung-jun, the Busan mayor currently on an African tour. However, Mr. A reportedly tied himself to the railing with a belt and refused to change his stance.

The police have deployed a special task force and a crisis negotiation team to the scene and are continuing negotiations with Mr. A and his relatives.

Busan Hyeongjebokjiwon, which operated from 1960 to 1992, was a facility where public authorities such as the police forcibly detained vagrants and others, subjecting them to forced labor, harsh treatment, sexual violence, and various human rights abuses. From 1975 to 1986, during the period it was contracted by Busan city, a total of approximately 38,000 people were admitted. The number of confirmed deaths to date is 657.

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