A view of nail marks left on Mandaeru Pavilion, a national treasure located within Byeongsan Seowon in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province. (Yonhap)
A view of nail marks left on Mandaeru Pavilion, a national treasure located within Byeongsan Seowon in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province. (Yonhap)

Korean Broadcasting System was reported to the police Friday following allegations of damaging a UNESCO world heritage site during a filming session.

A complaint titled "KBS drama production team’s cultural heritage damage incident" was filed through the National Petition Service portal just after midnight on Friday, accusing a production team of violating the enforcement decree of the Act on Conservation and Utilization of Cultural Heritage.

The complaint detailed how the team had left nail marks on a wooden pillar of Mandaeru Pavilion, a national treasure located within Byeongsan Seowon, while hanging prop lanterns on Monday. The marks, found to be about 2 to 3 centimeters wide and approximately 1 cm deep, raised concerns about damage to the heritage site.

The damage occurred on Monday during the filming of "The First Night With the Duke," a series based on a romance fantasy webtoon. Adapted into a period drama, the tv series stars Seohyun from Girls' Generation and Ok Taec-yeon from 2PM and is slated for release in the first half of 2025.

The issue came to light when architect Min Sa-hong posted on his social media on Monday, describing the damage he witnessed during a visit to the site. The post was accompanied by photos showing what appeared to be members of the production team driving nails into the top of a pillar and installing props.

Regarding the event, KBS issued an official apology on Thursday, stating that it is "currently discussing the best ways to accurately assess the situation and restore the damage."

The broadcaster also noted that the production team is working with Byeongsan Seowon officials to verify the situation on-site and agree on restoration procedures. Additionally, KBS pledged to actively engage in discussions on measures to prevent recurrence and address any further potential damages.

Byeongsan Seowon, located in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Korea’s nine major seowon, or Confucian academies.

According to Article 36 of the enforcement decree of the Act on Conservation and Utilization of Cultural Heritage, filming teams must ensure that they do not interfere with the preservation or management of cultural heritage, and any damage is strictly prohibited. If a violation of the law is confirmed, filming may be halted, or an administrative order could be issued.