Damage to Treasure No. 142 Roof Tiles While Peeking Over Fence
3 of 6 Tiles Broken, Other 3 Cracked
Two people in their 40s have been booked on charges of damaging part of the 'Donggwanwangmyo Wall,' Treasure No. 142. It is understood that they knocked down roof tiles while trying to look over the wall in an intoxicated state.
On the 30th, Kookmin Ilbo reported that a woman A and a man B, both in their 40s and arrested the previous day at Seoul Hyehwa Police Station, damaged six roof tiles of the Donggwanwangmyo wall. The incident occurred around 11:30 p.m. on the 28th. At the time, A said she wanted to "see over the wall," climbed onto B's shoulders, and while being carried piggyback, reached out to the wall and broke the roof tiles. Of the six broken tiles, three were shattered, and the other three were cracked.
Witnesses told the media that "the two smelled of alcohol" and "repeatedly apologized after the accident." It is presumed that they were intoxicated at the time. The police plan to confirm their drinking status as part of the investigation into the specific circumstances of the accident.
Earlier, Hyehwa Police Station announced that they had booked the two the previous day. They are suspected of violating the Cultural Heritage Protection Act and reportedly reported the damage to the police themselves after damaging the roof tiles. The police confirmed the identities of the man and woman and released them, planning to summon them again for a detailed investigation.
Some have pointed out that this incident occurred due to negligence in management. Kookmin Ilbo reported that there was no closed-circuit television (CCTV) near the Donggwanwangmyo wall.
This is not the first time a passerby has damaged Donggwanwangmyo. In April 2016, a man in his 50s named Park was prosecuted for tearing off roof tiles from the west side wall of Donggwanwangmyo by hand and throwing them on the ground, breaking them. Police investigations revealed that he was intoxicated and got into an argument with a passerby on the street, and in anger, committed the crime. Park was fined 1 million won at the time.
Meanwhile, Donggwanwangmyo is a shrine dedicated to the Chinese general Guan Yu, built in 1601, the 34th year of King Seonjo's reign. Guan Yu, a prominent figure in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, is also an object of worship in China. The faith of 'Gwansungjegun,' which venerates Guan Yu as a deity, is believed to have spread to the Korean Peninsula via China during the late Joseon period.
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