The Signboard of Gyeongpodae That Escaped the Fire Returns to Gangneung

Cultural Heritage Conservation Science Center Undergoes Emergency Preservation Treatment

The Cultural Heritage Administration announced on the 20th that the seven signboards of 'Gangneung Gyeongpodae (鏡浦臺)', which were evacuated due to the forest fire in Gangneung last April, will return after conservation treatment at the Cultural Heritage Conservation Science Center. On the afternoon of the same day, a homecoming ceremony will be held together with Gangneung City to announce their return and to wish for the evacuees' return to daily life.

Gangneung Gyeongpodae is a place where many poets and scholars from the Goryeo and Joseon dynasties visited to study and cultivate their minds. It was designated as a national treasure in 2019. The signboards were endangered during the forest fire last April, as the surrounding trees caught fire, but thanks to the efforts of Gangneung City Hall, the fire station, the National Jungwon Cultural Heritage Research Institute, and the Gangwon Regional Cultural Heritage Care Center, they were saved from the flames. However, during the urgent removal process, some gaps appeared and corner joints detached.

The signboards, moved to the nearby Ojukheon Museum, were transported to the Cultural Heritage Conservation Science Center last April for emergency conservation treatment. A Cultural Heritage Administration official explained, "We carried out fumigation, cleaning, color matching, ring installation, and pigment stabilization."

The homecoming ceremony will be attended by Choi Eung-cheon, head of the Cultural Heritage Administration, local members of the National Assembly, and key guests who worked to protect Gyeongpodae. The event aims to reaffirm the commitment to preserving cultural heritage and to pray for the swift return to daily life of residents affected by the forest fire. A Cultural Heritage Administration official stated, "We will continue to develop response measures to minimize damage to national heritage from natural disasters such as forest fires and heavy rains."

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