Urgent Tasks to Be Prioritized Within This Year
The Cultural Heritage Administration announced on May 8 that it will roll up its sleeves to restore national heritage sites in the Yeongnam region that were damaged by a large-scale wildfire in March. The agency plans to prioritize urgent tasks such as collecting damaged materials, conducting emergency preservation treatment, and designing restoration plans within this year, and will begin full-scale restoration work starting next year. Choi Eungchun, head of the Cultural Heritage Administration, stated, "We will provide administrative and financial support to help the national heritage sites damaged by the wildfire recover their original value."
A total of thirty-six national heritage sites were damaged by the wildfire. Thirteen of these were nationally designated heritage sites, including treasures, scenic sites, natural monuments, and national folk cultural heritage. The remaining twenty-three were heritage sites designated and managed by local governments. In particular, Yeongyang Gowunsa's Yeonsujeon and Gaonru, known as a "thousand-year-old temple," were reduced to ashes, and traditional houses with long histories and traditions also collapsed in the fire.
The total cost of restoration is expected to be approximately 48.8 billion won, combining both national and local government funds. An official from the Cultural Heritage Administration said, "This figure is based on a joint investigation conducted last month with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and other agencies," adding, "The 1 billion won donation from entertainment company HYBE and funds from the lottery fund will also be used." The official continued, "We plan to determine the order of restoration targets by assessing the extent of the damage and whether the value of the heritage sites has been compromised."
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