Patriot’s statue moved to Korea
Published: 01 Sep. 2009, 03:26
The statue of a Korean independence activist will be moved to Seoul today from Incheon port as part of the commemorations for the 100th anniversary of the assassination of the resident-general of Japan’s colonial government in Korea at the turn of the 20th century.
The bronze statue of Ahn Jung-geun, who shot and killed Hirobumi Ito in China on Oct. 26, 1909, was built under the supervision of a Korean business man working in China for the past 15 years. It will be held in Hyochang Park in Yongsan, central Seoul, where Ahn’s family shrine is placed, until a new location is found.
Three years ago Lee Jin-hak, 51, placed the statue in Harbin, where Ahn shot Ito 100 years ago, but the Chinese authorities removed it after 11 days. It has been sitting in his office ever since.
The statue is now heading to Korea as part of an anniversary to commemorate Ahn’s killing of Ito, widely believed by Koreans to have been a patriotic act.
In addition to the statue’s arrival in Korea, a series of other celebrations will be taking place to mark Ahn’s action. Officials at the culture ministry building in Gwanghwamun, are planning to host a photographic mosaic of Ahn’s face made up of Korean people’s faces.
And a massive 30 meter (98.4 feet) by 40 meter picture of Ahn’s handprint, made up of the handprints of 30,000 Korean people, will be hanged at the KT building in Gwanghwamun, downtown Seoul, for one month from Oct. 26. The project is sponsored by the Culture Ministry and Seo Kyeong-deok, a visiting professor at Sungshin Women’s University. The handprints of the surviving family members of a Japanese guard named Dosichi Jiba will be included in the massive print of Ahn’s hand. Jiba knew Ahn at Luishun prison in Dalian, northeast China, where he was incarcerated after he killed Ito. Ahn gave Jiba a piece of paper containing his last words and his signature in Chinese characters.
Officials from the culture ministry and Seo have been collecting the handprints since last June. The project will last until the end of this month. Seo is slated to fly to Japan this Thursday to get the handprints of Jiba’s surviving family members. The professor will also visit Dailinji temple in Miyagi Prefecture where he will attend an annual memorial service for Ahn, which has been held since 1981.
Jiba’s story came to light in a book written by Daiken Saito, 74, head priest of the temple who leads the memorial rites. After his retirement in 1920, Jiba returned to his hometown and honored the Korean independence activist by erecting a memorial tablet for Ahn at the Dailinji temple. Jiba’s relatives continue the memorial service at the temple.
Lee said the statue was worth the 180 million won ($144,360) expense.
“I built the statue and I am searching for the body of the martyred Korean patriot [Ahn] since the whereabouts of his remains are unknown,” Lee said. “I hope the Korean people will be pleased to see the statue as it represents Ahn’s remains returning from the spot where the patriot deed was carried out.”
By Kang In-sik, Jeong Seon-eon [[email protected]]
A bronze statue of Ahn Jung-geun was originally erected in Harbin, China, on Jan. 16, 2006, but was removed by Chinese authorities after 11 days. The statue is now on its way to Seoul as part of the 100th anniversary of Ahn Jung-geun’s assassination of Japan’s resident general in Korea at the time, Hirobumi Ito. Provided by Ahn Jung-geun Peace Foundation Youth Academy
The bronze statue of Ahn Jung-geun, who shot and killed Hirobumi Ito in China on Oct. 26, 1909, was built under the supervision of a Korean business man working in China for the past 15 years. It will be held in Hyochang Park in Yongsan, central Seoul, where Ahn’s family shrine is placed, until a new location is found.
Three years ago Lee Jin-hak, 51, placed the statue in Harbin, where Ahn shot Ito 100 years ago, but the Chinese authorities removed it after 11 days. It has been sitting in his office ever since.
The statue is now heading to Korea as part of an anniversary to commemorate Ahn’s killing of Ito, widely believed by Koreans to have been a patriotic act.
In addition to the statue’s arrival in Korea, a series of other celebrations will be taking place to mark Ahn’s action. Officials at the culture ministry building in Gwanghwamun, are planning to host a photographic mosaic of Ahn’s face made up of Korean people’s faces.
And a massive 30 meter (98.4 feet) by 40 meter picture of Ahn’s handprint, made up of the handprints of 30,000 Korean people, will be hanged at the KT building in Gwanghwamun, downtown Seoul, for one month from Oct. 26. The project is sponsored by the Culture Ministry and Seo Kyeong-deok, a visiting professor at Sungshin Women’s University. The handprints of the surviving family members of a Japanese guard named Dosichi Jiba will be included in the massive print of Ahn’s hand. Jiba knew Ahn at Luishun prison in Dalian, northeast China, where he was incarcerated after he killed Ito. Ahn gave Jiba a piece of paper containing his last words and his signature in Chinese characters.
Officials from the culture ministry and Seo have been collecting the handprints since last June. The project will last until the end of this month. Seo is slated to fly to Japan this Thursday to get the handprints of Jiba’s surviving family members. The professor will also visit Dailinji temple in Miyagi Prefecture where he will attend an annual memorial service for Ahn, which has been held since 1981.
Jiba’s story came to light in a book written by Daiken Saito, 74, head priest of the temple who leads the memorial rites. After his retirement in 1920, Jiba returned to his hometown and honored the Korean independence activist by erecting a memorial tablet for Ahn at the Dailinji temple. Jiba’s relatives continue the memorial service at the temple.
Lee said the statue was worth the 180 million won ($144,360) expense.
“I built the statue and I am searching for the body of the martyred Korean patriot [Ahn] since the whereabouts of his remains are unknown,” Lee said. “I hope the Korean people will be pleased to see the statue as it represents Ahn’s remains returning from the spot where the patriot deed was carried out.”
By Kang In-sik, Jeong Seon-eon [[email protected]]
A bronze statue of Ahn Jung-geun was originally erected in Harbin, China, on Jan. 16, 2006, but was removed by Chinese authorities after 11 days. The statue is now on its way to Seoul as part of the 100th anniversary of Ahn Jung-geun’s assassination of Japan’s resident general in Korea at the time, Hirobumi Ito. Provided by Ahn Jung-geun Peace Foundation Youth Academy
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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