Park Chung-hee memorial hall opens amid dispute

A memorial hall for the late former President Park Chung-hee opened Tuesday, creating a stir among people with opposing ideologies.

Proponents, mostly conservative, claim the facility will help boost awareness of what they describe as the “economic miracle” that materialized during his presidency (1963-1979) among the younger generation, while opponents criticize it for promoting what they call an “iron-fisted dictator.”

This sharply-divided take on him caused finishing the hall to take 12 years.

The opening ceremony was held at the Park Chung-hee Memorial-Library in Sangam-dong, Seoul, with the conservative ruling Saenuri Party’s interim emergency committee leader Park Geun-hye participating. The politician is a daughter of the late former President and leading presidential contender in the ruling camp.

“Things on display here are not solely focused on my father. They are about all ‘heroes’ who dedicated themselves to the country’s modernization,” Park said in a congratulatory speech.

She said the museum is a “symbol of a united people” since the idea of building the hall was suggested by the late former President Kim Dae-jung. Kim was kidnapped and threatened with death in the late 1970s by secret agents working for President Park.

Those opposing the memorial hall staged a rally outside the building. They said Park’s legacy is something that should vanish in light of the brutality of his regime.

“The conservative administration pushed forward the opening despite the fierce opposition of many,” they said in a statement. <Korea Times/Park Si-soo>

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