Statue of Controversy: Beloved Girl Statue Faces Uncertain Future as Demolition Looms

◀ Again ▶

The district office in Berlin, Germany, imposed another four-week deadline to move the statue to private property.

The group that installed the statue protested that it was virtually demolished and that they would consider it if public land were provided.

This is correspondent Kim Min-chan.

◀ Report ▶

The Berlin Girl statue risks being demolished four years after it was installed.

As opposition from residents and the community grew, the incumbent borough mayor proposed moving to private land.

[슈테파니 렘링거/베를린 미테 구청장 (지난 19일)]

“I’m looking for a place to permanently preserve the Statue of Peace and I already have several potential sites.”

On the 24th, the Korean Council, which installed the statue, and the district mayor met to discuss the issue.

However, it was reported that the district mayor had asked for confirmation of the statue’s relocation.

They said that only if they responded that they would remove the statue would they inform them of an applicant for private land.

[한정화/코라이협의회 대표]

“It is abnormal to have to make a promise about the place without any information about where it is or what kind of place it is.”

When the meeting between the two sides ended without results, the district mayor issued another ultimatum.

“It is unfortunate that the Korean Council is unwilling to compromise,” he said, and issued a press release saying he would issue a demolition order in accordance with the law.

It was also written that the deadline for demolition was 4 weeks.

The Korean Council immediately objected.

He said priority should be given to an understandable explanation as to why the statue needs to be moved now and what the reasons are other than pressure from Japan.

He also said he might discuss relocating to public land rather than private land and would respond within two weeks if he proposed five candidate sites owned by the city of Berlin.

We have requested a response from the district office by the 10th of next month, which is interpreted as a milestone ahead of legal battles if the removal of the statue becomes visible.

This is Minchan Kim from MBC News in Berlin.

MBC News awaits your reports 24 hours a day.

▷ Telephone 02-784-4000
▷ Email mbcjebo@mbc.co.kr
▷ Kakao Talk Report @mbc