▲ A sculpture by scandal-tainted artist Lim Ok-sang is demolished at a Seoul park on Sept. 5, 2023. (Yonhap)

scandal-tainted artist-Seoul

Seoul removes sculptures by artist convicted of sexual offense

SEOUL, Sept. 5 (Yonhap) -- Two sculptures created by a scandal-tainted artist and activist have been demolished at a central Seoul park, the Seoul city government said Tuesday, following his recent conviction on charges of sexual offense.

The demolition of the artworks produced by Lim Ok-sang to commemorate wartime sexual slavery victims was carried out at the "Place of Memory" park on Mount Nam for two days beginning Monday morning, it said.

The city government's move came after the 73-year-old Lim was sentenced by a court last month to an imprisonment of six months, suspended for two years, after being convicted of sexually harassing a female employee in 2013.

The city government has said keeping sculptures by an artist convicted of sexual offense in the park is an insult to the sexual slavery victims.

In his Facebook post, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon denounced an anti-Japan civic group, the Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance for the Issues of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan, for staging a rally Monday to oppose the removal of Lim's sculptures from the park.

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