Removal of Dokdo models from subway stations stirs controversy

The recent removal of models of South Korea's Dokdo islets, originally installed in high-traffic Seoul Metro stations as part of an effort to educate the public and counter Japan's disputed claims to the islets, has ignited widespread controversy.

Originally set up in 2010 in six Seoul subway stations -- Jamsil, Gwanghwamun, Jongno-3-ga (later moved to Anguk), City Hall, Itaewon and Gimpo Airport -- the models were part of an initiative based on a 2009 recommendation from the Seoul Metropolitan Council's Special Committee on Protecting Dokdo.

The models aimed to raise public awareness of South Korea's sovereignty over Dokdo in response to Japanese textbooks' erroneous claims that the islets are Japanese territory.

However, the Dokdo model at Anguk Station, a 1:700 scale replica of the actual islets, was suddenly removed on Monday, three days before the 79th anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japanese colonial rule. Jamsil Station's Dokdo model was discovered to have been taken away earlier on August 8, and Gwanghwamun Station's model was noted to have been dismantled in May.

The series of removals was confirmed by Seoul Metro, a municipal-owned corporation owned by Seoul Metropolitan Government, which cited "citizen safety" as the reason for preemptively taking away specifically the Dokdo replicas.

Many have expressed confusion over the decision, saying the models did not pose any significant obstruction to foot traffic for 14 years, raising questions about the true reason for their removal.

Questions about the political intentions behind the removals have also been raised, especially with them occurring in the lead-up to the anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japanese colonial occupation, Aug. 15, National Liberation Day.

Concerns are particularly intense around the removal of the Dokdo model from Anguk Station, which was designated an "Independence Movement Historical Theme Station" in 2019 to commemorate the centennial anniversaries of the March 1 Independence Movement and the founding of the Korean Provisional Government. The station is located near one of the hearts of the historic movement, with former homes of independence activists in the area.

Despite the three recent removals, the Dokdo models remain at three other stations: City Hall, Itaewon and Gimpo Airport.

Seoul Metro has defended the rationale of the removals, saying the decisions were driven purely by the "risk of safety accidents."

Officials explained that the removals were part of a broader assessment and clearing of safety hazards within the stations, which included both art installations and commercial setups. The removals did not reflect an attempt to erase Dokdo from public consciousness, according to them.

A Seoul Metro spokesperson on Wednesday highlighted changing conditions since the models were first set up in the stations.

"When the models were installed, we had underestimated the potential safety implications related to passenger congestion," the spokesperson said in a statement.

"With the opening of new subway lines and the continued increase of tourists, particularly near the three stations where the models were removed, it was necessary to reconsider their placement," the statement read.

Attempts to relocate the models within the stations had been unsuccessful due to a lack of suitable alternative spaces.

According to local media reports, the three removed Dokdo models -- each 1.8 meters wide, 1.1. meters long and 0.9 meters high and made by Gangnam Design Model -- have already been demolished and thrown away.

In response to the uproar, Seoul Metro announced Thursday it is reviewing the possibility of hanging framed images of Dokdo in the stations where models were removed: Jamsil, Anguk and Gwanghwamun Stations.

Seoul Metro also has decided not to remove the existing Dokdo models at City Hall, Gimpo Airport, and Itaewon Stations, according to the corporation.