Fire destroys South Korean landmark

Yahoo/AP ^

[nuconvert]

Fire destroys South Korean landmark

By KWANG-TAE KIM,

Associated Press

An overnight fire destroyed a 610-year-old landmark that was considered the top national treasure, officials said Monday. Police said the cause of the blaze was unclear but one official said arson was suspected.

The fire broke out Sunday night and burned down the wooden structure at the top of the Namdaemun gate that once formed part of a wall that encircled the capital.

Some 360 firefighters fought to bring the blaze under control, according to Lee Sang-joon, an official with the National Emergency Management Agency. No one was injured, he said.

Lee said that arson was suspected in the blaze. However, Kim Young-soo, the head of a police station in central Seoul handling the case, told a televised news conference said it was too early to make that conclusion.

The South Korean government opened the landmark gate, officially named Sungnyemun, to public in 2006 for first time in nearly a century.

The gate had been off-limits to the public since Japanese colonial authorities built an electric tramway nearby in 1907. Japan ruled the Korean Peninsula in 1910-45.

The gate was renovated in the 1960s and again in 2005.

[P8riot]

Saved me from sayin it.

[ConservativeMind]

You might be interested in this.

It’s a shame.

[rdl6989]

What a terrible loss.
http://news.naver.com/main/read.nhn?mode=LSD&mid=sec&sid1=102&oid=001&aid=0001953976

[TigerLikesRooster]

On my way to work this morning, I caught the tail end of a news cast from a car radio. It said something like, "damage...., more safety measure to old cultural site." I thought some less important site had fire again, an old temple in some remote mountain region.

Boy, am I shocked to find out later that it is the most important heritage site in Seoul? Right in the middle of the city.

[TigerLikesRooster]

40 years ago

After the Korean War (50 years ago)

80 years ago

100 years ago

120 years ago

[Jet Jaguar]

Thanks for the photos.

What a shame.

[TXnMA]

The gate was renovated in the 1960s and again in 2005.

I hope that means that there are good blueprints and photo documentation on hand, so it can be rebuilt.

What a marvelous treasure -- and what a terrible loss -- to all cultures! :-(

[ME-262]

If this had happened here arson/terrorism would have been ruled out while it was still burning.

I suspect it was the center wing fuel tank that spontaneously ignited this South Gate.

I wouldn't want to be a beggar found near this place after this incident. The protocol I remember for investigations in South Korea involved rounding up all of the nearby "street people" taking them into the questioning rooms and beating them with billy-clubs until somebody confessed. a lot of bones got broken during questioning and the interrogation rooms usually had bloodstains on the walls left there to encourage people to tell all they know quickly.

[ME-262]

Seoul police believe the arsonist has dark hair and eyes and are 50% certain his last name is Kim or Lee.

Just a hunch.

[BBell]

Smoke on the water, fire in the sky

[17th Miss Regt]

Post 8 has a large picture. The supports above each of the red columns are several layers of interlocking blocks of wood that will sway and give way in an earthquake. In between the columns you will see the same things sitting on the wall. This is true for both the upper and lower levels of the roof. Although they are pretty and decorative, they are mainly functional.

There was an article in Scientific American on this type of design about 25 years ago.

[TigerLikesRooster]

May have worked in 70’s. These days there is an Internet. That sort of things would be exposed all over Internet. Unless it is about explosive political scandal which can bring down the entire government, it is not easy to cover it up.

[Cringing Negativism Network]

Taking bets, whether the South Koreans have this completely rebuilt, before we have ground zero rebuilt...

(yes, I’m frustrated)

[null and void]

I'me giving even money that the completion of the rebuild of the Gate will happen before the "Crescent of Embrace" FLT911 memorial is done.

(yes, I'm pissed!)

[puroresu]

Such a shame. I hate to see beautiful historical sites lost.

[PzLdr]

Mongols back?

[Tamar1973]

But the South Korean people aren’t going to be arguing over the redesign. If SK rebuilds it, they will build it to resemble its original glory.

[Tamar1973]

Maybe a NK saboteur?!

[SunkenCiv]

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	Gods Graves Glyphs	Thanks ConservativeMind. It's astonishing that it hadn't been set fire to during the Korean War. As you said, this is a shame. To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list. GGG managers are Blam, StayAt HomeMother, and Ernest_at_the_Beach
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[eleni121]

How many mohamedans are in Korea? This is what they do...for 1300 + years