South Korea, National, Ruin, Domestic Protests Lachie Hill South Korea, National, Ruin, Domestic Protests Lachie Hill

Touring Shinto Shrines in Seoul

Emergence of Contestation: 2017

The "dark history" tour along a route on South Mountain in central Seoul aims to showcase the disgraceful history of Japanese colonial rule over Korea and the associated hardships by placing the remains of the Shinto Shrines located along the route in their historical context. Few of the Shrines have been re-purposed as sites of memorialisation, most remain unmarked (aside from in the tour guide materials), and reflect a disconnect in the awareness of Seoul's inhabitants between the spaces in the city they live in and their history.

The Memory and Legacy of shinto Shrine Sites in Seoul: The Geography of Colonial Religious Topoi - John G. Grisafi

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National Memorial Museum

Emergence of Contestation: 2014

The National Memorial Museum of Korea in Pusan focuses on the Japanese conscription of Korean labourers during the period of colonial expansion, focussing particularly on the lived experiences of the colonized.

Museum Education through Reenactment: Considering Historical Sites in Korea and Japan - Jason Mark Alexander

https://www.flickr.com/photos/kiyong2/49037497296/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/kiyong2/49037497296/

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DMZ

Emergence of Contestation: 1945, 1950

The DMZ between North and South Korea is being reconceptualised as a potential site for a future peace park. This is in line with a new foreign policy agenda for the inter-Korea summit meetings, focused on fostering peace. The United Nations is a crucial actor in this process, as it originally was in the process of creating the DMZ itself. Both the DMZ and the UN Command in charge of the DMZ are undergoing a transformation from the Cold War era, changing course towards a reconciliation, as opposed to merely containment.

The Demilitarized Zone in Korea: Past, Present, and Future - Hyein Kim

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South Korea, National, Museum, Domestic Protests Lachie Hill South Korea, National, Museum, Domestic Protests Lachie Hill

War Memorial of Korea

Emergence of Contestation - 1994

The War Memorial in Seoul commemorates the successful military campaigns of Korea, and aims at preventing future wars through education. However, the museum has been criticised as a glorification of Korea's military past, as it fails to offer any counter-narratives and does not highlight wartime atrocities perpetrated by Korean soldiers in Vietnam, as well as as domestically during the suppression of the democratic protests of 1980.

War Memorial of Korea - Dasom Lee

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