Ten Roof Tiles Damaged on Jongmyo Shrine Wall... Police Tracking Suspect (Comprehensive)

Damage Occurs Near Main Gate of Jongmyo Shrine at Dawn
Cultural Heritage Administration Completes Immediate Repairs

Repairing damaged roof tiles [Cultural Heritage Administration]

Part of the outer wall of Jongmyo Shrine in Seoul was damaged, prompting a police investigation.

According to the Cultural Heritage Administration and Seoul Hyehwa Police Station on the 16th, ten roof tiles on the wall near the main gate of Jongmyo Shrine, facing Seosulla-gil, either fell or were broken in the early hours of the previous day. Five convex tiles and five concave tiles were damaged.

The Jongmyo Shrine Management Office discovered the damage during a dawn patrol and immediately reported it to the police. The police and the Cultural Heritage Administration are analyzing nearby closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage and suspect that the perpetrator was intoxicated, currently tracking their movements. The CCTV footage captured the suspect damaging the tiles while moving toward the main gate around 1 a.m. on September 15.

An official from the Cultural Heritage Administration explained, "It appears that a person, presumed to be intoxicated, shook and pulled at the roof tiles on three sections of the outer wall, causing the damage." The damaged tiles have been repaired. The direct repair team under the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center of the Cultural Heritage Administration restored the affected area over approximately four hours the previous day.

Damaged Roof Tiles

Jongmyo Shrine is a national shrine enshrining the ancestral tablets of the kings and queens, emperors and empresses of the Joseon Dynasty and the Korean Empire. Centered around the main hall, which is the largest single wooden structure in Korea, it is recognized as a representative building that showcases Confucian traditions and royal ceremonial culture. It was designated as a Historic Site in 1963 and as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in December 1995.

An official from the Cultural Heritage Administration stated, "Damaging cultural heritage is not merely property damage but a crime that undermines historical value," adding, "We will conduct a thorough investigation together with the police."