The Seoul Metropolitan Subway Corporation announced on the 24th that they have completed the restoration of the old Dokdo sculptures in time for Dokdo Day (October 25th) and reinstalled them. The sculptures that were restored and installed this time were located at three stations: City Hall, Gimpo Airport, and Itaewon.
Through this Dokdo sculpture restoration project, the corporation stated that they vividly implemented the original beautiful image of Dokdo by applying bright colors to the aged Dokdo models at the three stations, including City Hall station. According to the corporation, they enhanced the representation of greenery in the Dokdo sculptures, cleaned off mold, restored discolored rock colors, and intricately expressed even the pebbles in the lowlands. They also implemented the sea color and the waves, improved LED lighting to emphasize Dokdo’s appearance, and replaced the island’s name, guide signs, and orientation markers.
The corporation conducted remodeling work on the outdated Dokdo sculptures at six locations on the Seoul Subway (City Hall, Gimpo Airport, Itaewon, Jamsil, Anguk, and Gwanghwamun stations) as they had become considerably worn over 15 years and were deemed to obstruct passenger safety. The corporation removed the sculptures at Jamsil, Anguk, and Gwanghwamun stations and instead has been broadcasting real-time Dokdo footage on 85-inch wall-mounted TVs since August 30th.
The corporation has also been holding a “Dokdo Photo Exhibition” showcasing the four seasons of Dokdo at Gyeongbokgung station since the 4th. The exhibition features 36 photos capturing the beautiful four seasons of Dokdo, such as the sunrise over the “East Island Face Rock,” seagulls returning to Dokdo, the sunset of Dokdo, and the snow scene of “Independence Gate Rock.” The Dokdo Photo Exhibition runs until the 31st.
Baek Ho, President of the Seoul Metropolitan Subway Corporation, said, “In line with Dokdo Day, the old Dokdo models have been renovated and returned to the public. I hope that encountering the Dokdo models and real-time footage in the subway will allow us to reflect on the significance of Dokdo once again.”
Meanwhile, October 25th was designated as Dokdo Day in 2000 to commemorate the day Emperor Gojong of the Korean Empire declared on October 25, 1900, through Korean Empire Ordinance No. 41, that Dokdo was under the jurisdiction of the Korean Empire.