Melakong Bridge
A small marker stone, measuring 60 centimeters in height and 30 centimeter in width, is located at the corner of the Mokpo train station in Mokpo City, Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Metropolitan City. The marker stone records the completion of the Melakong Bridge construction on April 20, 1964. That construction was achieved by a man named Park Gil-su. Before 1964, a stream next to the Mokpo railway…
A small marker stone stands on the corner of Mokpo train station in Mokpo City, Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Metropolitan City. This marker records the completion of the Melakong Bridge construction on April 20, 1964. The bridge was built by Park Gil-su, a man known for his diligence and commitment to helping others.
Prior to the bridge, a stream next to the Mokpo railway station caused significant inconvenience for train passengers. They were forced to take a long detour to reach the station, and accidents were frequent due to students walking along the railroad tracks to avoid missing their trains. In 1960, Park, then 32 years old, worked as a cargo worker at Mokpo Station.
The stationmaster, impressed by Park's resemblance to a Japanese samurai's henchman from a movie, nicknamed him "Melakong." Recognizing Park's polio condition and his kind heart, the stationmaster encouraged him to address the issue. Park proposed building a bridge to improve safety and efficiency for station users. After consulting with the city mayor, construction began on the Melakong Bridge, finally opening on April 20, 1964.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
Also reported by 1 other outlet
- Melakong Bridge koreatimes.co.kr
