Conservation experts from the National Palace Museum of Korea work to remove graffiti from the stone wall of Gwanghwamun in central Seoul, after a 79-year-old man defaced the historic structure with marker writing on Monday. (Korea Heritage Service)
Conservation experts from the National Palace Museum of Korea work to remove graffiti from the stone wall of Gwanghwamun in central Seoul, after a 79-year-old man defaced the historic structure with marker writing on Monday. (Korea Heritage Service)

A 79-year-old man was apprehended Monday morning after allegedly defacing the historic stone wall of Gwanghwamun, the front gate to the main palace Gyeongbokgung, with a message addressed to US President Donald Trump.

According to the Korea Heritage Service, a security officer on duty found the man, identified only by the surname Kim, writing on the stone wall at around 8:10 a.m. on Monday. Kim, a resident of Gangseo-gu, Seoul, used a black marker to write a message beginning with, “A letter to the people and the world, President Trump … .”

The security officer immediately intervened, halted the act of vandalism and reported the incident to the palace’s security center. Kim was subsequently taken into custody and handed over to police for investigation. Authorities have not yet determined Kim’s motive.

The Korea Heritage Service confirmed that conservation experts from the National Palace Museum of Korea were dispatched to begin removing the graffiti. The cleanup was expected to be completed by the end of the day.

“This is a serious act of damage against Gyeongbokgung, a symbol of our national heritage and the main royal palace of the Joseon era,” a Korea Heritage Service official said. “We will respond strictly.”

Under South Korea’s Cultural Heritage Preservation Act, individuals who deface cultural properties may be ordered to restore the damage and pay the full cost of the restoration.

This is not the first time the palace has been targeted by a vandal. In late 2023, a teenager spray-painted graffiti on Yeongchumun and a side entrance near the National Palace Museum. The act was reportedly motivated by a false promise of a 3 million won ($2,120) reward. The cleanup cost was estimated at 131 million won.

Gyeongbokgung, originally constructed in 1395, is one of Korea’s most treasured cultural landmarks and a major tourist destination.


yoohong@heraldcorp.com