A portion of the damaged bust of war veteran Yong Taek Lee was found at a recycling center in Lower Base.
Contributed photo
A DAMAGED portion of the bust of Korean veteran Yong Taek Lee — stolen from a peace memorial in Marpi — was found Thursday at a recycling center in Lower Base.
CNMI Korean Cultural Center Vice President Mountain Joo said the owner of the recycling center saw the news story about the stolen bust in Marianas Variety and immediately called him.
He said the recycling company owner told him that one of their employees received the bust about two weeks ago, but doesn’t know who dropped it off.
The owner of the recycling company also said the employee no longer remembers how much they paid the person who sold them the bust.
Joo said only the head of the bust was recovered, and it had been punctured with holes.
As they get ready to welcome 30 visitors from South Korea for the annual commemoration of Koreans who perished in the Marianas during World War II, they are also working to restore the bust, Joo said.
He added that the bust, made of copper, is valued at over $10,000, not including shipping costs. It was manufactured in South Korea.
A Korean tour guide called Joo on Tuesday to inform him that the bust of Yong Taek Lee was missing.
Lee is a 92-year-old war veteran who had visited Saipan every year, for almost 50 years. He is South Korea’s honorary director of public administration and chair of the Memorial Service Association for the Deceased Compatriots Overseas, which pays tribute to Koreans who perished on the island during World War II.
