According to Yonhap News Agency, the decision to remove the three-dimensional miniaturized models from Jamsil Station and Anguk Station last week and earlier this week respectively was initially due to the obstruction they caused to subway users' movement. However, the timing of the removals has drawn criticism, particularly as they occurred days before South Korea's annual Liberation Day celebration, which marks the end of Japanese colonial rule from 1910 to 1945.
The issue of Dokdo is a sensitive one, with ongoing territorial disputes between South Korea and Japan. In response to the backlash, Seoul Metro has committed to installing new, framed models of the Dokdo islets on the walls of City Hall Station, Gimpo International Airport Station, and Itaewon Station. The removals and subsequent reactions highlight the complex feelings surrounding national symbols and their representation in public spaces.
Despite the controversy, there has been no replacement for the Dokdo model removed from Gwanghwamun Station in central Seoul back in May, a detail that has added to the current discourse on how such national symbols are managed and displayed.