Jaunted

South Korea Travel

Koreans Mourn Lost National Treasure

February 14, 2008 at 9:45 AM | 0 Comments

South Koreans are still reeling after the nation's number one national treasure burned to its foundation early this week. The tragedy left locals and expats alike heartbroken amid Lunar New Year celebrations, and we're still shaking our heads in disbelief.

The Sungnyemun gate was more than 600 years old and had survived numerous foreign invasions and the Korean War--but it couldn't withstand the wrath of one crazy old man. Chae Mo, 69, apparently lit the wooden structure ablaze to draw attention to a personal land dispute. The kicker? Chae told police he had originally thought about attacking the subway system, but decided against it because he didn't want to hurt anybody--what a nice guy!

After an uproar about the lack of proper protection for the gate, the head of South Korea's cultural heritage administration turned in his resignation. The gate, which is more commonly referred to as Namdaemun, was near one of Korea's most famous open-air markets.

Related Stories:
· Fire Destroys Ancient Gate to Seoul [IHT]
· Suspect Admits to Sungnyemun Arson [The Marmot]
· Where Is Seoul's Namdaemun Gate? [Jaunted]
· Korea coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: hojusaram]