Man arrested over 600-year-old South Korean gate arson
Man arrested over fire which destroyed Namdaemun - 600-year-old South Korean gate
Tuesday, 12, Feb 2008 03:20
A man has been arrested on suspicion of setting fire to a 600-year-old gate regarded as South Korea's greatest historical landmark.
The 69-year-old, identified only by his surname Chae, is suspected of the premeditated arson which destroyed Namdaemun – great southern gate – in central Seoul earlier this week.
More than 300 firefighters had tackled the blaze overnight on Sunday, but in the early hours of Monday morning the 14th-century gate, which survived the Edo-era Japanese invasions and the Korean war between 1950 and 1953, collapsed.
Police in the Korean capital said Mr Chae held a grudge against the government over a land compensation dispute.
He has reportedly already been jailed for starting a fire that destroyed part of Changgyeong Palace, also in Seoul, in 2006.
"He picked [the gate] because of its easy access and relatively poor security," a police statement said.
The country's cultural heritage administration - which dubbed the gate as "national treasure number one" – has apologised for the destruction of Namdaemun.
"We are deeply sorry," officials said in a statement. "No words can express our sadness."
The destruction of the Joseon dynasty-era gate comes as Koreans mark lunar new year.
Three years ago the country lost another of its national treasures, the Naksan temple, to fire.
The cultural heritage administration has already pledged $10 million (£5 million) to restore South Korea's oldest Buddhist temple and says it will spend twice as much in the restoration of Namdaemun.