Three stone monuments installed by visiting Korean politicians near the Korean Bell of Friendship in San Pedro were recently removed by the City of Los Angeles due to a lack of proper installation permits. The removal has sparked criticism from members of the Korean American community who say they were not informed.
According to the Korean Bell 50th Anniversary Committee (interim chair Ernest Lee, Korean name: Kahyun Lee), the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks notified the group on May 16 that three of the six stone monuments surrounding the bell would be removed as part of a landscaping project.
Markers from Visits by Former Korean Leaders Removed
Among the removed markers were commemorative stones installed during the visits of former South Korean President Doo-Hwan Chun in 1981 and former Prime Minister Soo-Sung Lee in 1998. Both had planted ceremonial trees accompanied by these markers.
The removals followed an inquiry initiated by the committee itself while preparing for a site improvement project. “We started preparing a landscaping project last year and saw many markers scattered around the bell,” Lee said. “When we asked the city about permits, we found that only the one for former Prime Minister Han-Dong Lee’s 2001 visit had been officially approved.”
Lee explained, “Things were done informally in the past, so some markers were installed without city approval. The city confirmed this and removed them accordingly.”
The committee reported that six total monuments or structures were originally in place. The remaining three are also scheduled to be removed soon. “I think the city moved faster than we expected,” Lee added, noting that flowers will be planted in the cleared area on May 31, with Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass expected to participate.
Community Voices Concern Over Sudden Action
Some Korean American community members expressed frustration over the lack of prior notice. Dr. Youngsong Lee, who served as the LA Chapter President of the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council during Prime Minister Soo-Sung Lee’s 1998 visit, stated, “How does it make sense to suddenly remove monuments that have stood for decades? These markers hold historical meaning, and I don’t understand the motive behind removing them this way.”
The monument removal has also reignited longstanding concerns about the bell’s future. The Korean Bell of Friendship, a gift from the South Korean government in 1976 to commemorate the United States’ Bicentennial, has faced ongoing challenges. As reported by The Korea Daily on July 8, 2024, the site has fallen into disrepair amid limited support from the Korean government. Internal disagreements also split the bell’s management into two groups. The current landscaping project is being led by the Korean Bell 50th Anniversary Committee.
Sangjun Park, a former member of the Korean Bell Preservation Committee, said, “We’re no longer involved with the bell’s maintenance, so we had no knowledge of the landscaping or monument removal.”
Lee confirmed that the committee is in talks with the city about what to do with the removed monuments. “Some are in storage now, and we’ll discuss further actions with the city,” he said.
Located on a hill overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the Korean Bell continues to draw visitors due to its scenic view and historical symbolism.
BY KYEONGJUN KIM [kim.kyeongjun1@koreadaily.com]
AND YEONGCHAE SONG [song.yeongchae@koreadaily.com]
