'Millennium-old Temple' Naejangsa Daeungjeon Burns Down... Fourth Fire Since Its Founding

At 6:37 PM on the 5th, flames soared from a fire suspected to be arson at the Daeungjeon Hall of Naejangsa Temple in Jeongeup-si, Jeollabuk-do. / Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Park So-yeon] The Daeungjeon Hall of Naejangsa Temple, a thousand-year-old temple in Jeongeup-si, Jeollabuk-do, caught fire.

According to the Jeollabuk-do Fire Headquarters and Jeollabuk-do Police Agency, a fire was reported at Naejangsa Daeungjeon Hall in Jeongeup-si, Jeollabuk-do, around 6:30 PM on the 5th.

The fire authorities issued a Level 1 response, dispatching all personnel from the local fire station to the scene, and extinguished the fire, completing initial suppression around 7:53 PM.

The fire spread throughout the entire Daeungjeon Hall, but no casualties have been reported so far.

Since the Daeungjeon Hall is a wooden structure, it is expected to take time to completely control the flames.

The fire was reported to the police at 6:35 PM and to the Jeollabuk-do Fire Headquarters at 6:37 PM.

Naejangsa, a thousand-year-old temple in Jeongeup-si, Jeollabuk-do, founded during the Baekje period, has tragically suffered fire damage four times since its establishment.

Naejangsa was founded as Yeongeunsa Temple by Yeongeun Monk in 636, the 37th year of King Mu of Baekje, as a spiritual center for Baekje people, with over 50 buildings constructed.

In 1557 (the 12th year of King Myeongjong of Joseon), Monk Huimuk rebuilt the main hall and other buildings on the site of Yeongeunsa, renaming the temple Naejangsa, meaning "inner treasures," as it was said that countless treasures were hidden in the mountain.

During the mid-Joseon period, the temple was destroyed in the Jeongyujaeran (Japanese invasions of Korea), but in 1639 (the 17th year of King Injo), Monk Buyong restored it and gilded the Buddha statues.

In 1779 (the 3rd year of King Jeongjo), Monk Yeongdam renovated the Daeungjeon Hall and the Siwangjeon Hall and rebuilt the monks' quarters.

After the great revival led by Seonsa Baek Hakmyeong in 1923, Seonsa Maegok rebuilt and newly constructed the Daeungjeon Hall, Myeongbujeon Hall, and monks' quarters in 1938, renewing Naejangsa's appearance. However, in January 1951, during the early Korean War, Naejangsa and its hermitages were burned down.

Subsequently, in 1957, Head Monk Yaeun built Haeundang Hall, and in 1958, Monk Dacheon constructed the Daeungjeon Hall. In 1965, the Daeungjeon Hall, Buddha statues, and Buddhist paintings were created and enshrined.

In 1974, a large-scale restoration was carried out as part of the Naejangsan National Park restoration plan. However, on October 31, 2012, Naejangsa was again completely destroyed by an unknown fire.

At that time, the fire was detected by a private security company's detection system, but the temple was already completely burned down.

Jeongeup City restored the building on the site of the former Daeungjeon Hall, which was lost in the fire, investing 2.5 billion KRW in monuments and other facilities.

The Daeungjeon Hall, measuring 165 square meters, had a front width of five bays and a side width of three bays, with a hipped-and-gabled roof. Tragically, this Daeungjeon Hall was again burned down due to arson by a monk.

The Jeollabuk-do Police Agency arrested a monk identified as A from the temple on the 5th on suspicion of setting fire to the Naejangsa Daeungjeon Hall and is currently investigating him.

A is suspected of pouring a flammable substance and setting fire to the Daeungjeon Hall around 6:30 PM that day. It is reported that he was intoxicated at the time of arrest.