National Heritage Agency Takes Strong Action Against Seolleung Damage... Security Further Strengthened

Increase CCTV Installation and Enhance Perimeter Patrol Frequency

The Cultural Heritage Administration announced on the 19th that it will further strengthen security at palaces and Joseon royal tombs, including Seolleung, which was recently damaged. Additional closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras will be installed, and the frequency of perimeter patrols will be increased. The plan is to establish a system that reduces security blind spots to respond to unauthorized intrusions.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

In the case of Seolleung, considering the relatively long distance between the monitoring office and the royal tomb, additional AI-enabled CCTV cameras with motion detection and warning sound capabilities will be installed at four outer fences within this month. LED electronic signboards indicating no trespassing will also be attached. Furthermore, perimeter patrols will be intensified during the vulnerable hours of 2 to 4 a.m., and the illumination of security lights in high-risk areas will be increased. The Cultural Heritage Administration plans to discuss these measures to strengthen the outer security of Seolleung and Jeongneung with the police and other authorities.

Seolleung is the tomb of King Seongjong, the 9th king of Joseon, and his third queen, Queen Jeonghyeon of the Yun clan. It was registered as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site in 2009. Currently, twenty-one CCTV cameras are installed at Seolleung. However, at around 2:30 a.m. on the 14th, a woman in her 50s, identified as Lee, secretly trespassed and made a fist-sized hole in one of the burial mounds.

The police arrested her at around 5:40 p.m. on the day of the incident at her home in Gyeonggi-do. The Cultural Heritage Administration stated, "This is a clear act of damaging national heritage," and added, "We will respond strongly in accordance with the Cultural Heritage Protection and Utilization Act."

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