A private botanical garden in South Korea that drew attention for installing a statue of a kneeling man in front of a statue symbolizing "comfort women" has been donated to the government, except for the pair of statues, the garden's founder said Tuesday.
The bronze figure that appears to be bowing to the girl statue in atonement became controversial last year as many say it resembles then Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Kim Chang Ryeol, who heads the garden, said he will personally manage the statues out of consideration for their potential impact on bilateral ties if the government also owned them.
The girl statue symbolizes Korean women forced to work at Japanese military brothels during World War II. Similar statues of life-size girls depicted seated and wearing traditional Korean outfits have been erected across South Korea and overseas.
The issue of the former comfort women remains a diplomatic flashpoint between the two neighbors.
The donation is intended to keep the garden open for the long term. Kim said he felt it would be difficult to continue running the garden "both physically and economically."
Sometime after a donation ceremony on Wednesday, Kim intends to step down as garden head but stressed there is no plan to remove or relocate the statues.
The statues, titled "Everlasting Atonement," will remain in a section of the garden where visitors can stroll. An organization under the Korea Forestry Service will manage the garden.
Kim, who views the statues as works of art, is considering holding an exhibition in Tokyo and elsewhere by temporarily moving the statues. While he is seeking backers in Japan for the project, he had yet to be contacted about it as of Tuesday.
The garden is located in Pyeongchang in the country's northeast. Kim created the botanical garden with his own money, which he made through agriculture and other endeavors.
