(BNP) - Bonghwa district recently held a ceremony to unveil the statue of King Ly Thai To - the founder of the Ly Dynasty of Vietnam in 1009 in Changpyeong-ri Village, Bongseong-myeon Commune, Bonghwa District, Gyeongbuk Province, South Korea. This is the first time in history that a statue of King Ly Thai To (real name Ly Cong Uan) has been erected in a country outside of Vietnam.
Statue of King Ly Thai To in Bonghwa district, South Korea.
The 5.5-meter-high bronze statue of King Ly Thai To was invested by Bonghwa district with a total cost of up to 300 million won (USD 214,000). The statue is shaped exactly like the 11m tall statue of King Ly Thai To currently located in the capital Hanoi , according to the Bac Ninh Province Electronic Information Portal.
The reason Bonghwa District erected the statue of King Ly Thai To stems from a deep and meaningful historical connection. Changpyeong-ri Village is the home of the Hwasan Lee clan, a clan that originated as descendants of King Ly Thai To.
“Earlier this month, we received permission from Vietnam to erect the statue. This is the first time a statue of Ly Thai To has been erected outside Vietnam,” a Bonghwa District official told the media.
The installation of the statue of King Ly Thai To in Bonghwa became a symbol of trust, friendship and common aspiration towards a prosperous future.
Bonghwa District is currently in the process of building the “K-Vietnam Valley” on a 118,890 square meter plot of land around the Chung Hieu Duong area, with a total investment of 200 billion won (USD143 million). The project is expected to be completed in 2033.
