Two UNESCO sites in Andong remain at risk
One of the deadliest wildfires in South Korean history has culture officials scrambling to protect cultural heritage in the country’s southeastern region ravaged by the fast-burning blazes.
Officials at the Korea Heritage Service, the agency handling sites and items of historic importance, have raised the four-level disaster alert to its highest level for the first time in response to the fires, which began Friday in the Gyeongsang provinces.
The unprecedented measure, which took effect late Tuesday, is a response to the growing tally of damage to cultural heritage.
According to the latest KHS data, 15 counts of heritage damage including two state-designated treasures have been reported so far. As a precaution, the agency has relocated 651 such treasures, all in North Gyeongsang Province. Among them are Goryeo-era (918-1392) woodblocks at the temple Buseoksa.
Gounsa, another temple built in 681 during the Silla Kingdom (57 BC–935 AD) in the same province, completely burned down Tuesday afternoon. Many of its artifacts had been moved out of the temple Monday as a precautionary measure.
Some at-risk cultural heritage has survived the fire.
Manhyujeong, a storied pavilion in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, remained unscathed by the ravaging fires Tuesday. Flame-resistant cloth that covered the structure was instrumental in preventing it from succumbing to fire, according to KHS officials.
“This cloth shields against fires up to 700 degrees Celsius. We’re guessing Tuesday’s fires fell a little short of that,” one of them said.
Culture officials are now focusing on protecting two UNESCO-listed sites in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province: Byeongsanseowon, a 17th-century Confucian academy, and nearby Hahoe Village.
Fire helicopters, trucks and firefighters are drawing water from the Nakdong River, which surrounds the two areas. Korea’s longest river is the best defense fire authorities can tap into, according to culture officials on the ground.
“We have 22 fire trucks and over 140 firefighters standing guard,” one official said.
Byeongsanseowon, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage Site list in 2019, is home to Mandaeru, a pavilion that is a state-designated treasure. Historic signboards on the compound have already been moved to the nearby World Confucian Culture Museum, also in Andong.
Hahoe Village, which received UNESCO recognition in 2010, is home to descendants of the Ryu clan of Pungsan, with seven out of 10 villagers now carrying the family name Ryu. The village was settled beginning in the 14th century at the earliest. About 150 people from the village were evacuated late Tuesday.
The village has four buildings that are state-designated treasures.
Also in Andong is “Jingbirok,” a 16th-century book by Joseon-era (1392-1910) scholar Yu Seong-ryong called “The Book of Correction.” The firsthand account explores Japan’s invasion in 1592 and what could be done to avoid future incursions. It is kept at the Korean Studies Institute, a think tank.
Eleven “hahoetal” and two “byeongsantal” — masks used in the traditional Korean dance “talchum” — are held at the Andong City Museum. A museum official said the masks will be moved to the nearby Daegu National Museum, a 90-minute drive, should the fires worsen.
siyoungchoi@heraldcorp.com
