Joseon King Seonggyungwan Entrance Gate Damaged by Ladder Truck Fall

Roof width 6.5m, length 4.7m damaged "Restoration to original state after safety review"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The entrance gate to the Munmyo (Seonggyungwan) of the Joseon kings was damaged by the fall of a ladder truck.

According to the Cultural Heritage Administration on the 8th, at around 9:21 a.m. that day, a 9-ton ladder truck fell onto the roof of the Dong Sammun Gate of Munmyo (Treasure No. 141) in Jongno-gu, Seoul. The accident occurred while Jongno-gu Office was preparing for pruning work on the Munmyo ginkgo tree (Natural Monument No. 59) and others. During the process of lifting the ladder truck into Munmyo using a 20-ton crane truck, the crane bar, which was the connecting rope, broke. The ladder truck fell directly onto the roof of Dong Sammun, damaging an area 6.5 meters wide and 4.7 meters long.

The Cultural Heritage Administration stated, "Fortunately, the damage is not severe," but added, "We will identify responsibility based on the investigation results by the fire authorities and police." They also said, "If the construction company is found at fault, administrative measures such as business suspension will be taken." The fire authorities and Jongno-gu Office deployed 34 personnel and 8 vehicles that day to carry out repair work. The Cultural Heritage Administration said, "After reviewing safety, we will restore it to its original state."

Dong Sammun Gate of Munmyo was the gate used by Joseon kings to enter Munmyo to attend ritual ceremonies such as the Seokjeon Daeje. It is also called Osammun (御三門). Passing through here, the royal road (Eodo) is laid out in two parallel lines leading to the eastern pedestal of Daeseongjeon, the space housing the memorial tablets of sages. Records about Dong Sammun can be found in sources such as the 'Taehakji,' compiled in the 9th year of King Jeongjo's reign (1785). However, the exact date of its construction is unknown.