What Happened to the Flooded Hoeryongpo? ... 98% of 51 Cultural Heritage Sites in Gyeongbuk Recovered from Heavy Rain Damage

Most Landslide Damage to Cultural Heritage Sites Restored

Gyeongbuk Province Deploys Care Workers to Prevent Further Damage

"One Loss Can End Everything, Prevention Is Essential"

Emergency restoration is being swiftly carried out on cultural heritage sites damaged by the heavy rain that fell in the Gyeongbuk region in mid-July. So far, 98% of the restoration has been completed.

The Gyeongbuk Provincial Government is striving to devise countermeasures to prevent additional damage caused by recent unpredictable weather changes, alongside the restoration work.

According to Gyeongbuk Province, as of the 26th, 51 cultural heritage sites in the province were confirmed to have been damaged. Among them, 24 are nationally designated cultural properties, and 27 are provincially designated cultural properties.

By region, damage was concentrated in areas that experienced severe heavy rain, with 12 sites each in Yeongju City and Bonghwa County, 10 sites in Yecheon County, and 7 sites in Mungyeong City.

Most of the damage was due to soil inflow caused by slope erosion and flooding caused by river overflow. Emergency measures began after the rain stopped, and currently, more than 98% of emergency restoration has been completed.

The Gyeongbuk Provincial Government is supporting the restoration efforts through on-site safety inspections and restoration plan consultations conducted by the provincial cultural heritage committee members.

About 100 cultural heritage maintenance personnel were urgently deployed to major damaged cultural heritage sites in the province, completing emergency restoration at Andong Hahoe Village, Yean Yi Clan Waryongpa Jongtaek, and others.

The Cultural Heritage Administration also conducted on-site investigations at Buseoksa Temple in Yeongju and Cheongryongsa Temple in Yecheon immediately after the heavy rain damage. After personally inspecting the damage sites at Maewon Village in Chilgok and Songseokheon Old House in Bonghwa, Administrator Choi Eungcheon promised swift support including national funding.

In the case of Hoeryongpo in Yecheon, which was damaged by river flooding, Yecheon County and residents of the Hoeryongpo Green Experience Village have joined forces to remove soil and debris and organize facilities, allowing the village to quickly regain its original appearance.

A representative of Hoeryongpo Green Experience Village said, “Residents are taking the lead so that visitors who come to see the scenic Hoeryongpo, designated as a famous site during the summer vacation season, will not be disappointed.”

Since the 24th, Gyeongbuk Province has been conducting emergency safety inspections at 12 cultural heritage repair sites, including Bongjeongsa Temple and Yeongsanam Hermitage.

A Gyeongbuk Province official stated, “We are focusing on securing national funds for the permanent restoration of damaged cultural properties and plan to conduct regular inspections and safety management jointly with cities and counties to respond to adverse weather such as heavy rain and typhoons.”

Kim Sang-cheol, Director of the Culture, Tourism and Sports Bureau of Gyeongbuk Province, said, “Once cultural heritage is lost, it is difficult to restore and its value is also lost, so damage prevention through regular inspections is essential. Emergency restoration has been completed promptly in response to this heavy rain, and we will also ensure swift support for cultural heritage requiring additional repairs.”

Restoration of cultural heritage damage in Gyeongbuk.

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