War veteran Yong Taek Lee — South Korea’s honorary director of public administration and chair of the Memorial Service Association for the Deceased Compatriots Overseas — views his bust at the Korean Peace Memorial in Marpi during his 47th visit to Saipan on March 6, 2023.
Photo by Emmanuel T. Erediano
The empty pedestal where Yong Taek Lee’s bust once stood before it was stolen.
Contributed photo
THE Korean Peace Memorial in Marpi was vandalized by still-unidentified individuals who also stole the bust of Yong Taek Lee, a war veteran who had visited Saipan nearly every year for almost 50 years.
The last time Lee visited was in March 2023, marking his 47th trip to the island as South Korea’s honorary director of public administration and chair of the Memorial Service Association for the Deceased Compatriots Overseas. During his visit, he paid tribute to the Koreans who perished in the Marianas during World War II.
According to Mountain Joo, vice president of the CNMI Korean Cultural Center, a Korean tour guide called him on Tuesday to report that, around 1 p.m., the bust of Yong Taek Lee was found missing. Joo said he has already reported the matter to the police.
Doyi Kim, general manager of P&A Corp., the parent company of Winners, which adopted the memorial site in February 2021, said it was heartbreaking to see the Korean Peace Memorial vandalized.
The CNMI Korean Cultural Center and the Korean community on Saipan are currently preparing for this year’s memorial service on Saipan on May 12, 2025, and on Tinian on May 13, 2025.
She said 30 people from Korea are expected to arrive for the annual commemoration.
As for Yong Taek Lee, who is now 92, Joo said he was unable to visit Saipan last year and will not be able to return this year either due to illness.
South Korea is the CNMI’s primary tourism market.