Freedom Bridge to Be Kept Intact

The government and the ruling Millennium Democratic Party (MDP) have agreed to construct a new railway bridge for the reopening of the Kyongui Line in order to leave the Freedom Bridge, which passes in front of Im Jin Gak, intact.

Jung Dong-chae, the head of the Office of Planning and Coordination for the MDP, said on August 20, "We have reached an agreement with the Ministry of Unification and other relevant organizations to save the Freedom Bridge, based on concerns for safety as well as the bridge's symbolic importance."

Located in Mun-san in Kyonggi Province across from the Im Jin Gak Plaza, the bridge was restored in 1953 immediately after the Korean War armistice in preparation for the exchange of POWs. The bridge was an extension of the Kyongui Rail Line and was bombed during the war. It is designated as Provincial Monument Number 162.

by Lee Yang-soo