Contested memory in early 21st century Korea : The conversion of Camp Hialeah to Busan Citizens Park

Abstract

The conversion of US-military base Camp Hialeah into Busan Citizens Park created a popular recreational space in Busan City. While initial redevelopment plans suggested a design with little regard for its history as both Japanese and US-military installation, citizen pressure led to design changes. Parts of Busan Citizens Park now serve as an institution of cultural memory of Korean 20th century history. As a site of memory, it commemorates Korean victimhood caused by the occupation of Korean land by Japanese and US-forces. In contrast to other memory sites in Korea, local citizens rather than government agencies provided the impetus for this focus. The paper uses the conversion process to explore the contested nature of memory discourses, building on Assmann’s framework of memory, which adds cultural memory to complement collective memory. Cultural memory is expressed in a physical form such as museums and it connects the past of a state with the present and the future. The paper contributes to the literature on collective memory in Korea and the diversification of such narratives, applying a personal reading of the exhibits in Busan Citizens Park.