▲ Statue of former President Chun Doo-hwan (left) and Roh Tae-woo who were decided to be demolished
The Cheongnam University, the former president's villa located in Munmun-myeon, Sangdang-gu, Cheongju-si, displays the statues, relics, photographs, and historical records of the past presidents.
According to Chungbuk-do on the 16th, the policy of removing the statues of the two former presidents, Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo, was decided on the 14th at a meeting of local civil society officials headed by Governor Lee Si-jong on the 14th.
The statues, each 250 cm high, are now erected at the entrances of the two promenades named 'Chun Doo-Hwan President's Road' (1.5 km) and 'No Tae-Woo President's Road' (2 km).
At the Presidential Square in Cheongnam University, nine statues of the president were installed, from the first President Syngman Rhee to former President Roh Moo-hyun, who gave control of Cheongnam University to Chungbuk Province.
Instead, Chungbuk Province spent 10 billion won for two years from 2013, creating 10 new statues of the president.
The statues of former presidents Chun Do-hwan, Roh Tae-woo, Kim Yeong-sam, Kim Dae-jung, Roh Moo-hyun, and Lee Myung-bak using Cheongnam University were installed in front of the Presidential Road, and statues of former Presidents Rhee Seung-man, Yun Bo-seon, Park Jeong-hee, and Choi Gyu-ha, around the fish farm in front of the History Education Center.
According to the Act on Honoring the Ex-President, the ex-President who has been sentenced to more than a vault cannot receive any other treatment except for security and expenses.
On the basis of this, Chungbuk Province decided to demolish the statue in front of the presidential path of former President Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo, who were sentenced to 17 years in prison and imprisonment for murder for civil war and civil war purposes.
Not only is the statue not to be removed, but the name of the presidential path is also changed.
The two former Presidential Records in the Presidential Memorial Hall, which was completed in June 2015, with the main building of the Blue House at 60% size, will also be removed.
However, exhibits that convey historical facts are left untouched.
The Cheongnam University Management Office explained that it would be a criterion for deciding whether to demolish or to publicize the historical facts.
Cheongnam University, which means 'South Blue House,' was built in 1983, during the Fifth Republic.
Afterwards, it was used as a place for the summer vacation of the former president, and in 2003, it was opened to the general public by former President Roh Moo-hyun, and management rights were transferred to Chungbuk-do.
Earlier, the 'Chungbuk May 18th People's Combat Commemorative Project Committee' has been calling for the removal of the statue and the abolition of the presidential path by saying, "It is a shame to put a statue and a path of military rebels in a national holiday resort."
(Photo = Provided by Chungbuk Province, Yonhap News)