Gwanghwamun Square monument to honor Korean War allies faces questions over timing, procedure

A row of white construction fences now cuts through the center of Gwanghwamun Square, covered with renderings of stone columns and the pledge, “We will not forget the sacrifice of 22 countries that fought for liberal democracy.” Behind the fences and “authorized personnel only” signs, workers are racing to finish a new monument that the Seoul Metropolitan Government says will honor the country’s Korean War allies — even as critics question whether the project has been pushed through heedlessly in one of the city’s most symbolic public spaces. The “Garden of Gratitude,” under construction near the statue of King Sejong, will feature a series of tall stone structures representing each of the 22 nations that dispatched combat troops or medical units under the U.N. flag during the 1950–53 conflict. City officials say the site, inspired by the ceremonial “present arms” rifle salute, is meant to become a signature landmark where Koreans and international visitors can pause to remember allied sacrifices and South Korea’s transformation from a war-torn nation to one of

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