Free Republic

SEOUL — The man who burned down Namdaemun, the 610-year-old gate in the heart of Seoul, was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Friday, court spokesman Ma Yong-ju said. Prosecutors had asked the judge to sentence Chae Jong-gi, 69, to 12 years in prison for the Feb. 10 fire. Chae pleaded guilty to charges of arson and destroying a national treasure. Judge Lee Kyoung-choon said he gave Chae a heavy sentence because of the “indescribable mental pain” South Koreans experienced at the loss of the gate. The loss of Namdaemun also caused the nation’s prestige to fall, he said....

South Korea Arrests Man in Landmark Fire By HYUNGJIN KIM,Associated Press Writer AP - 2 hours 15 minutes ago SEOUL, South Korea - Police arrested a 70-year-old man suspected of setting a fire that destroyed the country's top cultural treasure, the 610-year-old Namdaemun gate in Seoul, news reports said early Tuesday. ADVERTISEMENT The man, identified only by his family name Chae, was arrested Monday night on Ganghwa Island, west of Seoul, the Yonhap news agency reported, citing an unnamed police officer. Cable news network YTN carried a similar report. The fire broke out Sunday night and burned down the wooden...

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...