Land near Buseoksa Temple (National Treasure No. 17) in Yeongju (57 B.C.-A.D. 935), located 229 kilometers southeast of Seoul, is washed away by heavy rain, in this photo provided by the Cultural Heritage Administration on July 17, 2023.
SEOUL, July 17 (Korea Bizwire) — Cultural heritage sites have suffered damage as heavy downpours pounded South Korea, especially central and southern regions, over the weekend, the cultural heritage authority said Monday.
The Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) said a total of 39 sites designated as national heritage have been damaged by heavy rain since the summer monsoon season began on June 23.
Among them, 19 were designated as historic sites and natural monuments, while scenic spots and folklore cultural heritage each had five cases.
Two treasures and registered cultural heritage each had two cases, and one national treasure was affected by heavy rainfall.
By region, 12 of them were located in North Gyeongsang Province and seven were located in South Chungcheong Province and South Jeolla Province, respectively.
For instance, heavy rain washed out land and road to Buseoksa Temple from the Silla Kingdom (57 B.C.-A.D. 935) in Yeongju, 229 kilometers southeast of Seoul, when the city had over 350 millimeters of rain between Thursday and Sunday.
A pavilion at Gongsanseong Fortress located in Gongju, 162 kilometers south of Seoul, is flooded by heavy rain on July 15, 2023, in this photo provided by the Cultural Heritage Administration. The cultural heritage established during the Baekje Period (234-678) was designated as a UNESCO heritage site.
Gongsanseong Fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Gongju, 162 kilometers south of Seoul, was flooded on Saturday when the nearby Geumgang River overflowed due to a heavy downpour.
The fortress established during the Baekje Period (234-678) was submerged in water, part of the fortress was damaged and lost soil, and restoration works are currently under way, according to the CHA.
The heritage authority said officials are taking emergency measures to fix the problems and prevent accidents.
“We are taking measures to prevent accidents in national heritage sites that are confirmed to have suffered damage and working on quick fixes,” a CHA official said.
“We will keep monitor the restoration works and encourage them.”
Major heritage sites are under close watch as up to 200 mm of rain has been forecast for Chungcheong and southern regions, and between 10 mm to 100 mm for the rest of the country through Thursday.
(Yonhap)
