The Korea Herald

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Hackberry from ‘Extraordinary Attorney Woo’ receives natural monument status

By Kim Hae-yeon

Published : Aug. 25, 2022 - 15:12

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Visitors enjoy the Dongbu Village’s old hackberry tree in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, on July 29. (Yonhap) Visitors enjoy the Dongbu Village’s old hackberry tree in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, on July 29. (Yonhap)
A 500-year-old protected tree in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, which recently gained fame following its appearance in the global hit drama series “Extraordinary Attorney Woo,” is to be designated a natural monument by the end of September, the Cultural Heritage Administration announced on Wednesday.

The East Asian hackberry of Bukbu-ri, Changwon, also known as “Sodeok-dong paengnamu” in the TV series, stands 16 meters tall with a circumference of 6.8 meters. It has a crown spread of 27 meters.

From the hill in Dongbu Village where the hackberry is located, the vast plains of Hanam-eup and Daesan-myeon spread north and south along the Nakdong river, creating unique scenery.

The tree embodies a rich local history and folklore, according to research by the CHA.

In the past, a temple named Danseonam was next to the tree, where villagers would hold Dangsanje rituals and send wishes. The tree acted as a village guardian for people. 
A photo of the East Asian hackberry of Bukbu-ri, Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, taken by a research team at the CHA during a visit in July (CHA) A photo of the East Asian hackberry of Bukbu-ri, Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, taken by a research team at the CHA during a visit in July (CHA)
However, not all residents of Dongbu Village welcome the natural monument designation.

According to the Cultural Heritage Protection Act, a maximum radius of 500 meters from the tree’s location will be marked off as a conservation area once the tree is designated as a natural monument. This means that development and construction permits will be highly restricted and limit people‘s exercise of property rights.

Some 70 residents from 37 households live within a 200-meter radius of the village.

The CHA will decide on the final designation of the tree after a month of briefing residents and gathering opinions.

Currently, two hackberry trees have been designated as natural monuments -- the Hwangmokgeun in Geumnam-ri, Yecheon, North Gyeongsang Province, and East Asian Hackberry of Sudong-ri, Gochang, South Jeolla Province.

The tree in Changwon has been under the protection of Changwon City since July 2015.

By Kim Hae-yeon (hykim@heraldcorp.com)