"Compensation for Hyeongjebokjiwon Victims" Protest Ended After 13 Hours at Busan Gwangandaegyo Bridge (Summary)

A man in his 50s climbed the railing of Busan Gwangandaegyo Bridge and staged a protest for 13 hours, demanding compensation for 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 bridge, got off around the middle of the upper deck, and then went down to the railing.

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

[Photo by Busan Fire and Disaster Headquarters]

Mr. A claimed to be a victim of the Hyeongjebokjiwon case and stated that he would continue his protest until the Busan city ordinance was enacted and the Busan mayor was recalled.

Lee Seong-gwon, the Deputy Mayor for Economic Affairs, went to the scene to persuade him on behalf of Park Hyung-jun, the Busan mayor who is currently on an African tour. However, Mr. A tied himself to the railing with a belt and did not change his stance.

The police deployed a special forces team and a crisis negotiation team to the scene and continued persuasion efforts together with Mr. A’s relatives.

Meanwhile, the 119 rescue team approached the railing and safely rescued Mr. A around 6 p.m., 13 hours after the protest began, handing him over to the police.

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, when it was contracted by Busan city, a total of about 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.