It is a bitter grief and shame that the nation’s No. 1 National Treasure, Sungnyemun, was destroyed by fire Sunday night. It is a loss of a precious cultural legacy. The Sungnyemun is not a simple historical relic, but a symbol of the Korean nation and has been a source of national pride for more than six hundred years. Its tragic destruction leaves scars in the minds of Koreans. But hopefully the accident will provide momentum to better preserve invaluable cultural properties in the future. The Sungnyemun, commonly known as Namdaemun or South Gate, is one of the four gates, built when the Joseon dynasty moved its capital to Hanyang, present Seoul, upon its founding in the late 14th century. The main gate of the wall surrounding the Dynasty’s capital is the oldest wooden structure in Seoul, and preserves the architectural styles of the early Joseon Dynasty. In addition to its cultural value, the Sungnyemun bears great symbolic value as the “gate” of Seoul. The historic monument had survived the Japanese invasions in the late 16th century, the Manchurian invasions in the early 17th century, and the 1950 Korean War. The former castle gate, now a detached monument, stood imposingly in the heart of Seoul until it was almost reduced to ashes by Sunday’s fire.
Koreans felt grief, shock and disbelief, and many felt a great sin against history had been committed in what may have been the act of a lone arsonist and the failure of authorities to bring the flames under control. There are many lessons the nation can learn from the incident. First, opening the Sungnyemun to the general public in 2006, the authorities had an insufficient safety and security system. In the first half of the 20th century, Japanese colonialists tore down the castle walls and built roads around the Sungnyemun. It remained as a detached gate until it was opened to the general public in 2006. The opening was well-intended, but without due and careful preparation. The measures for protecting wooden cultural relics are far from sufficient. Many of the nation’s important cultural relics, especially structures, are made of wood, and are vulnerable to fire. The authorities failed to secure sufficient equipment and manpower and work out specific instructions to prevent fire. They have not acquired sufficient know-how to minimize fire damage to wooden cultural relics. Cultural assets, although located in Korea, are the legacy of not only Koreans, but all of mankind. The latest incident should serve as an occasion for greatly enhancing the nation’s related regulations and sense of awareness. Should the lessons be carefully translated into action, the tragic collapse of the Sungnyemun will provide a valuable lesson for Korea.  
 
KBS World News