Police destroy memorial for late President Roh

Posted on : 2009-06-01 12:37 KST Modified on : 2009-06-01 12:37 KST
Immediately following the public funeral service, riot police destroy the citizen’s memorial in front of Duksu Palace and blockade Seoul Plaza again
 the morning following the public funeral service.
the morning following the public funeral service.

Immediately following the public funeral service for the late former President Roh Moo-hyun, riot police destroyed the incense burning place for the late president and began arresting people indiscriminately.

At 5:30 a.m. May 30, the day following the public funeral service for Roh, the police raid and destruction of a memorial site for Roh that citizen’s had spontaneously created last week in front of Duksu Palace in the center of Seoul came as something of a surprise. At that time, seven volunteers had been sleeping in a tent pitched in front of the public incense burning site. A man only identified as 52 years old and by the surname of Kim, said, “I was surprised to find that more than 300 riot police holding clubs were surrounding the incense burning site.”

He added, “Without warning, the riot police destroyed the incense burning site and tent, as volunteers in the tent cried.” He continued to say, “The riot police threw out the offerings on the altar, including apples and watermelons, and scattered the candlesticks and flowers.”

According to him, even the portrait of late President Roh was laid on the street, “I gripped the portrait tightly in order to keep the portrait from being destroyed. He said, “The government went too far.”

Kim Chang-gun, age 43 and a witness to the destruction, said, “The police destroyed the incense burning site within ten minutes and left.” Kim added, “They seemed to think that if they destroyed the incense burning site, they could quiet the people.”

However, Kim-the-volunteer did not end up leaving the incense burning site, and on the same day citizens restored the incense burning site.

At the same time, the riot police re-established a blockade around Seoul’s City Hall Plaza. The riot police chased citizens out of the plaza and cordoned it off with police buses. In the process, three citizens who had strongly objected to what the police were doing were arrested.

Kim Jeong-sun, age 39 and a salary woman, said, “I think the government should try to empathize with the sorrow of people. I do not know what the government wants to accomplish with this destruction.” Another citizen, Kim Young-chul, age 64 year old, said, “I think the government lacks common sense.”

Lee Mi-kyung, secretary general of the opposition Democratic Party, went accompanied by two other lawmakers to Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency (SMPA) offices to protest the destruction. Chu Sang-yong, the commissioner of SMPA, said, “Police officers committed an error while cordoning off Seoul’s City Hall Plaza. If the incense burning site is moved to the side street of Duksu Palace, we will allow the memorial site to remain.”

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]

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