Seoul: A total of 39 cultural heritage sites in South Korea have suffered damages as heavy downpours pounded the country over the weekend, authorities said on Monday.
The Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) said of the 39 sites, 19 are designated as historic sites and natural monuments, while scenic spots and folklore cultural heritage each had five cases, reports Yonhap News Agency.
Two treasures and registered cultural heritage each had two cases, and one national treasure was affected by heavy rainfall.
By region, 12 of them were located in North Gyeongsang province and seven were located in South Chungcheong and South Jeolla, respectively.
For instance, heavy rain washed out land and road to Buseoksa Temple from the Silla Kingdom (57 B.C.-A.D. 935) in Yeongju, 229 km southeast of Seoul, when the city had over 350 mm of rain between July 13-16.
Gongsanseong Fortress, a Unesco World Heritage site in Gongju, 162 km south of Seoul, was flooded on July 15 when the nearby Geumgang river overflowed due to a heavy downpour.
The fortress established during the Baekje Period (234-678) was submerged in water, part of the fortress was damaged and lost soil, and restoration works are currently under way, according to the CHA.
The heritage authority said officials are taking emergency measures to fix the problems and prevent accidents.
“We are taking measures to prevent accidents in national heritage sites that are confirmed to have suffered damage and working on quick fixes,” a CHA official said. “We will keep monitoring the restoration works and encourage them.”
Major heritage sites are under close watch as up to 200 mm of rain has been forecast for Chungcheong and southern regions, and between 10 mm to 100 mm for the rest of the country through Thursday.
