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According to the Korean Cultural Heritage Agency, as of 9 a.m. on March 26, 15 historical artifacts, including woodblock prints and Buddhist paintings, had been moved from important temples such as Bongjeong Temple in Andong and Buseok Temple in Yeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, due to the serious developments of the forest fires that have been raging for the past week.
South Korea is facing the worst wildfire disaster in its history.
These temples are among the seven Buddhist monasteries recognized by UNESCO as World Cultural Heritage sites under the category "Sansa - Mountain Buddhist Monasteries in Korea".
Among the 15 artifacts relocated, 10 are national treasures, most notably the seated stone Buddha statue from Goun Temple in Uiseong County – a temple over 1,000 years old that was completely destroyed by fire. In addition, five other tangible cultural heritage artifacts were also moved to safe storage.
Goun Temple, built over 1,000 years ago during the Silla dynasty (57 BC - 935 AD), was destroyed by fire at approximately 4:50 PM (local time) on March 25th.
The agency also noted eight cases of heritage damage caused by wildfires, but a more detailed assessment is still needed. Among them, Yeongsu Hall and Gaunru Pavilion at Goun Temple were completely destroyed. The temple complex has a total of 30 structures, but only nine of them escaped the fire.
As of 5 PM on March 26th, 15 national heritage sites had been damaged, including 11 national-level sites and four city or provincial-level sites. The affected artifacts were mainly concentrated in the Uiseong, Andong, and Cheongsong areas – the most severely affected by the fire.
As of 5 PM on March 26th, 15 national heritage sites had been damaged, including 11 national-level sites and four city or provincial-level sites.
To minimize the risk of fire, authorities have covered several important structures with fire-resistant tarpaulins, including Geungnakjeon in Bongjeong Temple – believed to be the oldest wooden building in South Korea.
In addition, two important UNESCO sites, Hahoe Village and Byeongsan Seowon (both in Andong City), are being closely monitored as the fire approaches the area.
Officials wrapped a Buddha statue in a fire-resistant blanket to protect it from the fire at Goun Temple (Uiseong).
Wildfires started on March 21st in South Gyeongsang Province and spread rapidly due to strong winds and dry weather. According to the latest reports, at least 27 people have died, including several firefighters and local residents. Approximately 37,000 people have been evacuated, with over 16,700 still in temporary shelters. The South Korean government has declared a national disaster and mobilized firefighters and numerous helicopters to control the situation.
This is the worst wildfire disaster in the country's history, causing severe damage to lives, property, and infrastructure. Although many heritage sites have been damaged, experts and authorities are working to protect the remaining structures and assess the extent of the damage to plan for recovery after the fires are extinguished.
As of the afternoon of March 27, at least 27 people had died in the fire.
