‘Empty! Empty!’ Lim Ok-sang’s work is being demolished by the Seoul Metropolitan Government.

In the early morning of the 5th, the Seoul Metropolitan Government 토토사이트began demolition work on two works by Lim Ok-sang (73) at the ‘Site of Remembrance’, a memorial park for Japanese military comfort women in Yejang-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul. Lim’s works also became controversial after he was found guilty in the first trial last month on charges of forcibly molesting a female employee.Starting at 6:15 a.m. on this day, the city of Seoul has been mobilizing a forklift and three large trucks to demolish the ‘Eye of the Earth’ and the ‘Navel of the World’ installed at the ‘Memory of Remembrance’. From early morning, about 100 police and city hall officials began work, blocking off the five entrances and exits to the ‘Memory Site.’

It was originally planned to be demolished the day before, but the demolition was canceled due to opposition from women’s groups such as the Justice and Remembrance Coalition (Jeongui-yeon). A spokesperson for the Seoul Metropolitan Government said, “It is not that we will erase the place of memory, but rather that we remember the damage suffered by comfort women and remember that pain more deeply in our hearts,” and announced, “We will definitely demolish it on the 5th.”In August 2013, Mr. Lim received a suspended prison sentence in the first trial on charges of forcibly hugging and kissing employee A, who was working at his art research institute. After Lim was found guilty in the first trial, the city of Seoul established a policy to remove all six of Lim’s works from Seoul municipal facilities. Mr. Lim has appealed against the first trial ruling.On the other hand, women’s groups opposed the demolition, saying, “The sculpture is not the work of artist Lim alone, but a collective creation made with the fundraising and participation of numerous citizens.”

On the 29th of last month, ‘Gwanghwamun Station’ installed at Gwanghwamun Station on Subway Line 5 was demolished, and on the 30th of the same month, ‘Drawing Seoul’ in front of the Seosomun Building of Seoul City Hall and ‘A Bowl Containing the Sky’ at Sky Park in Sangam-dong, Mapo-gu were demolished. On the 6th, we plan to demolish the ‘barrier-free playground’ in Seoul Forest, Seongdong-gu.