{
  "id": 15864630,
  "title": "Gwanghwamun memorial garden draws 500,000 visitors, celebrates Swedish ties",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/21/gwanghwamun-memorial-garden-draws-500-000-visitors-celebrates-swedish-15864630",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-21T08:47:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times-koreatimes",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/lifestyle/people-events/20261021/gwanghwamun-memorial-garden-draws-500000-visitors-celebrates-swedish-ties"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Seoul's Gwanghwamun Memorial Garden has welcomed over 500,000 visitors in its first 160 days. The serene garden, located at Gwanghwamun Square, honors countries and veterans who participated in the Korean War from 1950 to 1953. The memorial invites visitors to contemplate themes of freedom, peace, and international solidarity.\n\nThe installation, known as \"23 Lights of Gratitude,\" symbolizes gratitude towards the nations that supported Korea during the war. Meanwhile, the underground exhibition hall named Freedom Hall utilizes digital media to narrate the conflict's history and Korea's journey from being an aid recipient to a donor nation.\n\nSweden has contributed a unique element to the memorial. In August, the Scandinavian nation donated syenite stone, quarried in Ekeröd, Sweden. This dark stone, adorned with green and shimmering silver, purple, and gold crystals, marks the first stone donation from Sweden. The garden is set to celebrate its ties with Sweden this weekend through a series of cultural events, performances, and a special light display.",
  "summary": "Seoul’s Garden of Gratitude has drawn more than 500,000 visitors in its first 160 days, as the memorial space prepares to celebrate its ties with Sweden through a weekend of cultural events, performances and a special light display. The Seoul Metropolitan Government said the garden recorded 500,157 visitors as of Monday, according to an automated counting system. Located at Gwanghwamun Square,…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Gwanghwamun memorial garden draws 500,000 visitors, celebrates Swedish ties",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/21/gwanghwamun-memorial-garden-draws-500-000-visitors-celebrates-swedish",
        "published": "2026-10-21T08:12:03.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}