Mullae Park
The park, viewed from the north. Sports courts are visible. In the background, the rear of the fenced-off bust of Park Chung Hee is visible. (2023)
LocationMullae-dong, Yeongdeungpo District, Seoul, South Korea
Coordinates37°30′58″N 126°53′38″E / 37.516019°N 126.893767°E / 37.516019; 126.893767
Established1986

Mullae Park (Korean: 문래공원; Hanja: 文來公園) is a park in Mullae-dong, Yeongdeungpo District, Seoul, South Korea. The park was established in 1986, and is widely used for leisure and exercise by nearby residents.[1]

Before it was a park, it hosted a number of military facilities. Now, a large number of civilian amenities fill the area, including walkways, exercise equipment, playgrounds, and air purifiers.[2]

Relationship to Park Chung Hee

The bunker door, next to a playground. The door is unlabeled; the sign to the right describes it only as a "preserved area", and warns parents to keep their children away from it. (2023)

The park was once host to the South Korean Army's 6th District Headquarters: the birthplace of the May 16 Coup of 1961. It was during this coup that Park Chung Hee seized power.[2][3] All that remains of the former bases is an underground bunker, the entrance to which is now behind a locked and unmarked door, near a children's playground.[4]

Bust of Park

To commemorate this part of history, a bust depicting Park during his military years has been in the park since 1985.[3] In 2000, after the Center for Historical Truth and Justice unveiled research on Park's blood oath of loyalty to Japan, the bust had a Japanese Rising Sun Flag tied to it, was knocked over, and dragged to the campus of Hongik University.[4] The bust's nose was damaged in the process. The statue was reinstalled, and the nose was repaired by a memorial foundation to Park in 2006.[4] In December 2016, during protests for the impeachment of Park's daughter President Park Geun-hye, Choe Hwang (최황) wrote "remove" ("철거하라") in red spray paint on the statue. Choe wrote angrily on Facebook about Park Chung Hee's role as a pro-Japanese collaborator ("chinilpa") and military dictator. For this, he was fined one million won.[4]

The bust is now protected behind an iron fence. A nearby sign, prepared by the memorial foundation to Park, warns people of consequences for vandalism towards either the bust or the bunker.[4]

References

  1. ↑ "기후위기 극복 도시숲, 서울 영등포 문래공원에서 만나요". 생명의숲. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
  2. 1 2 "철공소 골목의 변신! 문래근린공원·문래창작촌". mediahub.seoul.go.kr (in Korean). Retrieved 2024-01-09.
  3. 1 2 "향토문화유적 - 문화관광". www.ydp.go.kr. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 손, 호철 (2021-07-23). "철거냐 존치냐, 서울 복판 박정희 흉상을 보며". www.pressian.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2024-01-09.
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