O Sehun Steps Back from 'Gwanghwamun Taegeukgi' Controversy: "Will Keep All Possibilities Open"

Possibility of Revising Detailed Development Plans Amid Controversy Over National Symbol Space
Consideration of National Symbols Including Guksae... Variable Flagpoles
Integrated Design Competition to Harmonize with Sejong-ro Park
Mayor Oh: "To Establish as a Truly Representative National Symbol Space of the Republic of Korea"

As controversy continues over Seoul City's announcement to install a large 100-meter-high Taegukgi flag at Gwanghwamun Square, Mayor Oh Se-hoon has stepped in to calm the situation. He conveyed the possibility of modifying the existing detailed development plan, such as adjusting the height if a flagpole is installed using national symbols designated by the government.

On the morning of the 11th, Mayor Oh held a press briefing at Seoul City Hall and said, "The core of a national symbol space is to enhance the pride of the people." Regarding the recent controversy, he stated, "We will keep all possibilities open and sufficiently gather opinions from citizens, experts, and various fields to create a meaningful place that reflects the wishes and intentions of the people."

An example of the national symbol space creation project newly unveiled by the Seoul Metropolitan Government on the 11th. [Provided by Seoul Metropolitan Government]

Earlier, on the 25th of last month, marking the 74th anniversary of the June 25th War, Mayor Oh announced that as part of the project to create a national symbol space at Gwanghwamun Square, approximately 11 billion KRW would be spent to build a 'large Taegukgi flag' and an 'eternal flame.' The flag to be hoisted on the flagpole will be specially made, measuring 21 meters wide and 14 meters tall, the largest in the country. The 'eternal flame' will be created either as an actual flame similar to the Olympic torch or installed as a lighting feature, to be decided in consultation with the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs.

However, immediately after the announcement, controversy arose over what was seen as excessive patriotism. There was backlash against adding another nationalist monument to Gwanghwamun Square, which already has statues of Admiral Yi Sun-sin and King Sejong the Great. Some civic groups even called it a "anachronistic measure." The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, which is also involved in creating the national symbol space, opposed the plan, stating that Gwanghwamun Square had never been designated as a national symbol space and that there had been no prior consultation.

In response, Mayor Oh emphasized the intention behind the project, saying, "Gwanghwamun Square is the heart of downtown Seoul and a genuine national symbol space of the Republic of Korea where history, culture, and civic spirit coexist." He added, "This project started from the will to create a place that represents the identity of the Republic of Korea as a free democracy, alongside the statues of Admiral Yi Sun-sin and King Sejong the Great, which symbolize our nation's unique identity." He also previewed, "In addition to the June 25th War, which laid the foundation for Korea's freedom and prosperity, we will create a space to commemorate various historical events and figures such as the March 1st Independence Movement and the April 19th Revolution that shaped today's Korea."

Regarding the recent controversy, he said a separate channel for collecting opinions would be created on the city’s website. In particular, the form of the national symbol monument will include not only the Taegukgi but also other government-designated national symbols such as the national anthem, Mugunghwa (Rose of Sharon), the national emblem, and the national seal. If a flagpole is installed, a variable-height installation method will be discussed, allowing adjustment from 10 meters up to a maximum of 70 meters.

He added that all possibilities would remain open regarding the historical events and figures to be commemorated, and citizen opinions would be gathered. Furthermore, an advisory body composed of civic groups and experts will be utilized to contribute ideas on the overall concept, from the scale of the national symbol space and monuments to their design, aiming to produce the best possible outcome. Plans are also underway to establish a close cooperative system through consultations with the National Architecture Policy Committee, the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

However, since the project to create the national symbol space itself will continue to be pursued, controversy is expected to persist. Some parts of the project examples revised and released by Seoul City on the day omitted the overall height indication but retained the installation parts of the flagpole and the 'eternal flame.' Previously, Seoul City explained, "The materials released to the public at the time of the announcement were created to explain the project and overly emphasized the Taegukgi."

Meanwhile, according to Seoul City's plan, the creation of national symbol facilities within Gwanghwamun Square will proceed with a design competition from August to November, complete basic and detailed designs by April next year, start construction in May, and finish the work by December of the same year. An integrated design competition will be promoted to harmonize the national symbol space with Sejongno Park, and through this process, the design and scale will be finalized. Additionally, Sejongno Park, which will be developed as the only hub-type convenience facility around the square in connection with Gwanghwamun Square, will be reborn as an essential urban space in the Gwanghwamun area.

An example illustration of the national symbol space creation project newly unveiled by the Seoul Metropolitan Government on the 11th. [Provided by Seoul Metropolitan Government]

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