Last Month's Heavy Rain Destroys Village's Symbolic Single-Plank Bridge
Residents "Restore Quickly"... Yeongju City "Must Monitor Typhoon"
"Originally, the bridge extended this far and was this long."
On the afternoon of the 1st, around 3 PM, in Museom Village, Munsu-myeon, Yeongju-si, Gyeongbuk Province, a middle-aged man visiting the area pointed alternately at the single-log bridge and the sandy shore from a distance, telling his companions this. A woman who came with him responded with regret, saying, "Really? It's all broken now." After gazing at the bridge for a while, they said, "Let's go have some Makgeolli," and turned away.
Museom Village is a Seonbi Village designated as a National Folk Cultural Property. It was designated on August 23, 2013, marking its 10th anniversary this year. This historic village, formed in the mid-17th century during the Joseon Dynasty, is known for its scenic beauty and various traditional houses, attracting continuous tourist visits. However, traces of flood damage were still evident throughout Museom Village on this day. In particular, the single-log bridge, a symbol representing Museom Village, lost its form due to heavy rains that fell in mid-last month in Yeongju and the central inland region.
Around 3 p.m. on the 1st, tourists visiting Museom Village in Yeongju, Gyeongbuk, are heading toward the damaged single-log bridge to experience it. Photo by Hwang Seoyul chestnut@
Tourists looked at the damaged bridge with a sense of emptiness. Park (58, female), a tourist who stopped by Yeongju briefly on her way home after vacationing in another region, said, "I had just visited a natural recreation forest, but I couldn't go there due to landslide damage," adding, "Although it was just a brief stop, it's disappointing." Park went up to the bridge to feel it despite it being broken. Several other tourists who came to Museom Village with family or friends also headed toward the bridge.
As the central inland region suffered flood damage, this tourist destination has not enjoyed the usual peak season benefits. In Museom Village, visitors can stay in traditional houses such as the Kim Wook House and Kim Cheonhan House and experience traditional Hanok lodging. Oh (73, male), who runs a lodging business, said, "There should be many people during the vacation season, but this year, there aren't that many." Another guesthouse operator, Lee (67, female), said, "Visitors to Museom Village come to take photos of and cross the single-log bridge, but since they cannot have that experience, they feel very disappointed." Kim, in his 60s, also lamented, "It may vary by guesthouse, but in our case, reservations have dropped to about 50% compared to last year."
The single-log bridge in Museom Village was washed away by heavy rain that fell in the central inland region in mid-last month. Photo by Hwang Seoyul chestnut@
Residents earning income from tourism wished for a swift recovery. Kim said, "Every year, heavy rains concentrate in this area, so I hope sufficient budget is secured for restoration and that work is carried out immediately when incidents occur." Another resident pointed out, "The local government said they would restore it, but nothing has happened yet," adding, "It feels like the city promotes it as a tourist spot but shows little interest afterward."
Yeongju City officials stated that it is difficult to rush into restoration. A Yeongju City official said, "A typhoon is expected soon, so even if we restore it, the bridge could be washed away again," adding, "Currently, more than half of the river is filled with sand, so if we place the bridge in an area with only water, it might be hard to feel the same charm as before. We are consulting with the Cultural Heritage Administration on how to proceed with the restoration."
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