Heavy Rain Damages 47 Cultural Properties "On-site Investigation and Emergency Measures Underway"

National Treasures, Treasures, and World Heritage Sites Also Unable to Avoid Flood Damage
Significant Cultural Heritage Damage in Jeonnam, Gyeongbuk, Jeonbuk, and Chungnam
Cultural Heritage Administration "Operating Safety Situation Room for Prompt Response"

Soil Erosion on the Entrance Road to Soswaewon in Damyang

The Cultural Heritage Administration recently reported on the 12th that forty-seven cultural properties, including Soswaewon in Damyang (Scenic Site No. 40), were damaged due to the recent monsoon and heavy rains.

The damaged cultural properties include one National Treasure, one Treasure, seventeen Historic Sites, ten National Folk Cultural Properties, three Natural Monuments, five Scenic Sites, six Registered Cultural Properties, and one World Heritage Site. The types of damage confirmed include tile detachment and leaks, tree falls, soil erosion, and damage to fortress walls and fences.

The regions with the most damage are Jeonnam, Gyeongbuk, Jeonbuk, and Chungnam. In Jeonnam, soil erosion occurred on the entrance road to Soswaewon in Damyang. The water inlet of Myeongokheon Garden in Damyang (Scenic Site No. 58) was detached, and the fence and retaining wall behind Wontongjeon Hall at Seonamsa Temple in Suncheon (Historic Site No. 507) were damaged. In Damyang’s Samjicheon Village, about 33 meters of the old fence (Registered Cultural Property No. 265) was broken, and part of the roof of the main building at the Changnyeong Jo Clan’s Gwanhaegong House in Yeonggwang (Registered Cultural Property No. 678) collapsed. Soil erosion also occurred in the stone wall section of Marosan Fortress in Gwangyang (Historic Site No. 492).

In Gyeongbuk, part of the eastern lower mound of Burial Mound No. 57 in Naksan-ri, Gumi (Historic Site No. 336) was eroded. At the World Heritage Site Bongjeongsa Temple in Andong, leaks occurred in Manseru Pavilion, and in Hahoe Village in Andong (National Folk Cultural Property No. 122), part of the earthen fence of the Ryu Sicheon House tilted. At Ungang Gotaek and Manhwajeong (National Folk Cultural Property No. 106) in Cheongdo, the roots under the wooden floor of the Numaroo were lifted. Some branches of the mulberry tree in Dugok-ri, Sanju (Natural Monument No. 559) were broken, and the roof of the management building at Dosan Seowon (Historic Site No. 170) was damaged. In Hahoe Village (National Folk Cultural Property No. 122), parts of the fence walls of houses in the village detached. Nearby, the Yeomhaengdang Gotaek (National Folk Cultural Property No. 90) and Byeongsan Seowon (Historic Site No. 260) also suffered damage to their earth-filled fences and roof tiles of the east wing, respectively.

Daegu Pagyesa Wontongjeon Roof Ridge Damage

In Jeonbuk, the fence and slopes around the Baekjangam Three-story Stone Pagoda at Silsangsa Temple in Namwon (National Treasure No. 10) were damaged. The fence around the warehouse at Kim Byeongsun Gotaek in Iksan (National Folk Cultural Property No. 297) was damaged, and the nearby stone retaining wall at Hwahaeru Pavilion of Hwaamsa Temple in Wanju (Treasure No. 662) was broken with soil erosion. Parts of the Wanggung-ri Ruins in Iksan (Historic Site No. 408) were flooded, and leaks occurred on the front of the Eokan Hall at Daeungjeon Hall of Seonunsa Temple in Gochang (Treasure No. 290).

In Chungnam, leaks occurred in the Sarangchae building and the furnace was flooded at Oeam Geonjae Gotaek in Asan (National Folk Cultural Property No. 233). The wooden bridge at Oeam Folk Village (National Folk Cultural Property No. 236) was washed away, and the railing of Banseokgyo Bridge was damaged. Damage was also reported to the fortress walls and slope erosion at Gongsanseong Fortress (Historic Site No. 12) and Buyeo Naseong Fortress (Historic Site No. 58).

Additionally, Ondal Fortress in Danyang (Historic Site No. 264), Hwaryeongjeon Shrine in Suwon (Historic Site No. 3), Achasan Fortress in Seoul (Historic Site No. 234), Sansuri and Samyongri Kiln Sites in Jincheon (Historic Site No. 511), Joyang-dong Ruins in Sokcho (Historic Site No. 376), Horogoru Fortress in Yeoncheon (Historic Site No. 467), Jangneung Tomb in Yeongwol (Historic Site No. 196), Yeonsandong Burial Mounds in Busan (Historic Site No. 539), and Doksanseong Fortress and Sema Site in Osan (Historic Site No. 170) were all damaged due to the heavy rains.

The Cultural Heritage Administration is conducting on-site inspections and emergency measures to prevent further damage. An official stated, “Minor damages will be repaired internally, and urgent repair funds will be provided to restore cultural properties with significant damage to their original state.” They added, “We will continuously monitor weather information to strengthen preemptive measures and operate a safety situation room to respond promptly to cultural property damage.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.