February 10, 2008
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Namdaemun (Sungnyemun) Dec. 31, 2006 - James Heald
Arson Suspected in Namdaemun Fire
By Lee Hyo-sik
Staff ReporterA fire broke out at Sungnyemun _ more commonly known as Namdaemun,
meaning South Gate in Korean _ a historic structure from the Joseon
Kingdom located in the center of Seoul, Sunday night, causing a major
problem for firefighters.The fire occurred around 8:50 p.m., police said. About 30 fire trucks
along with 90 firefighters rushed to the scene to bring the blaze under
control. There were no reports of any casualties and the cause of the
fire has yet to be determined, they said.According to firefighters, Namdaemun did not seem to sustain major
damage other than minor burning to the area underneath the roof.Police suspect someone deliberately started the fire as a taxi driver,
identified only by his surname Lee, said he saw a man in his 50s go up
the stairs of the gate with a shopping bag, while he was waiting to
pick up a customer in the nearby area.Lee said he then saw a spark like a firework and reported it to police,
adding the man came down the stairs afterwards. The taxi driver said he
drove around looking for the man but could not find him.About 40 police officers were dispatched to the scene and questioned
eyewitnesses to identify the cause of the blaze. Also, some roads were
blocked to traffic as firefighters put out the fire.Namdaemun, the oldest wooden structure in Seoul, was originally built
in 1398 and then renovated in 1962, following its destruction during
the Korean War. It was given the status of National Treasure No. 1.
Fire Demolishes National Treasure No. 1
By Lee Hyo-shik
Staff ReporterA fire swallowed the nation's No. 1 treasure Sungnyemun - more commonly
known as Namdaemun, meaning South Gate in Korean - in the heart of
Seoul late Sunday.The historic structure from the Joseon Kingdom was totally demolished
four hours after it caught fire at 8:30 p.m. Firefighters stopped
operation at 10: 30 p.m. as the blaze appeared to be extinguished but
it flared up again some minutes later, spreading quickly beyond
control.About 30 fire trucks along with 90 firefighters rushed to the scene to
bring the blaze under control. There were no reports of any casualties
and the exact cause of the fire has yet to be determined, they said.Police suspect someone deliberately started the fire as a taxi driver,
identified only by his surname Lee, said he saw a man in his 50s go up
the stairs of the gate with a shopping bag, while he was waiting to
pick up a customer in the nearby area.Lee said he then saw a spark like a firework and reported it to police,
adding the man came down the stairs afterwards. The taxi driver said he
drove around looking for the man but could not find him.About 40 police officers were dispatched to the scene and questioned
eyewitnesses to identify the cause of the blaze. Also, some roads were
blocked to traffic as firefighters put out the fire.Namdaemun, the oldest wooden structure in Seoul, was originally built
in 1398 and then renovated in 1962, following its destruction during
the Korean War. It was given the status of National Treasure No. 1.Fire Destroys South Korean Landmark
By KWANG-TAE KIM, Associated Press WriterSEOUL, South Korea - An overnight fire destroyed a 610-year-old
landmark that was considered the top national treasure, officials said
Monday. Police said the cause of the blaze was unclear but one official
said arson was suspected.The fire broke out Sunday night and burned down the wooden structure at the top of the Namdaemun gate that once formed part of a wall that encircled the capital.
Some 360 firefighters fought to bring the blaze under control,
according to Lee Sang-joon, an official with the National Emergency
Management Agency. No one was injured, he said.Lee said that arson was suspected in the blaze. However, Kim
Young-soo, the head of a police station in central Seoul handling the
case, told a televised news conference said it was too early to make
that conclusion.President-elect Lee Myung-bak visited the scene and deplored the destruction of Namdaemun, the namesake of Seoul's central district and a major tourist attraction.
"People's hearts will ache," he told officials as he received a briefing.
The South Korean government opened the landmark gate, officially named Sungnyemun, to public in 2006 for first time in nearly a century.
The gate had been off-limits to the public since Japanese colonial authorities built an electric tramway nearby in 1907. Japan ruled the Korean Peninsula in 1910-45.
The gate was renovated in the 1960s and again in 2005.
The Cultural Heritage Administration said it would take at least
three years to fully restore the gate and it would cost some $21
million.
Comments (2)
such a shame...
I hardly know what to say about this Jim as I have such strong feelings about wanton destruction. We have seen it here in our western states, fires which destroy thousands of acres of timber in forest land taking along with them homes and lives. WHY would or could someone justify burning to the ground a national treasure? It was a sad day in Korea, I am sure of it.
I've been out of town for a week, medical, and am just now back home trying to catch up. I'm sitting here thinking how your photos help bring me closer to Korea and the people in it with some of your beautiful displays in images. I will be doing an overdue challenge in my PhotoGraphics site today and one of the challenge is "pet peeves". My pet peeve is trash and I was going to touch on Lack of Respect thru the trash. This entry of yours depicts a lack of respect in a monumental way, really heartbreaking is how I see it.
Take care of You,
Becca
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