용산공원 내 식민지 종교･기념 공간의 탈냉전식민주의 평화공간화 방향 검토— 안산신사를 중심으로 —

Abstract

This paper contemplates the future of Yongsan Park to be established in the place where the Yongsan U.S. military base was returned in Seoul. Ultimately, it argues the necessity of creating a memorial space to remember the pain of colonization and its victims, while also remembering the victims of the Cold War, advocating for the establishment of a “Post-Colonial Peace Museum” as its culmination. As evidence for this argument, it examines the role and function of Ansan Shrine(安山神社), which was located within the Yongsan base. Ansan Shrine was situated atop Mount Dunji, where major ritual sites of Joseon were once located, serving as a spiritual focal point for the Japanese military and the surrounding Japanese community in Yongsan. Initially established to ensure safe childbirth for Japanese military wives, the shrine evolved into a religious and spiritual center for Japanese well-being, along with various other shrines like the Joseon Shrine(Palace of God) on mid-level Namsan and the Gyeongseong Patriotic Shrine to the north of the Yongsan base. After liberation, as the U.S. military occupied the Yongsan base for an extended period, Ansan Shrine disappeared without a trace, and the various ritual sites of Joseon that once existed in its place were not restored. Based on these historical facts, this paper proposes transforming Yongsan Park into a space for communication and education to overcome the legacy of Cold War colonialism through broader discussions and open debates.