The New York-based architecture studio POP Architecture honors civil victims of the Korean War with a design submission for an international design competition seeking to create a national memorial. 

Organized by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety of the Republic of Korea and the local government of Dong-gu district in South Korea, the competition brief asked for a "sensitively-designed Park and a Memorial Hall that is spiritual while offering visitors an opportunity to deepen their understanding of Korea's darkest hour. This competition seeks to identify the very best design talent to create Memorial Park as a national symbol and a home to the local community."

After receiving submissions from 42 countries and 109 firms, the competition jury placed POP Architecture's "Korean War Memorial Park" in the top ten and earned itself an Honorable Mention. 

According to the team from POP Architecture, "Our concept for the Korean War Memorial Park for Civil Victims commemorates the civil victims of the Korean War, reflecting the depth of the suffering of the families of the lost civilians while embracing the natural, healing beauty embodied in the site. The stream serves as the central organizing spine for the Memorial Park, activating a narrative of faithfulness by progressing through the past we remember, the present we forget, and a future in which we forgive."

"The indoor and outdoor paths converge on an outdoor gathering space before progressing towards trails and recreational space where the visitor absorbs the painfulness of past traumas, reflects upon how to cope with the present, and moves towards the promise of future forgiveness. Along the northern boundary of the stream runs a series of Enshrinement Pillars. Each Pillar represents one of the 668 massacre cases that took place across Korea during the Civil War and are identified by location."