A forest fire that broke out in Uiseong, North Gyeongsang Province, spread significantly on the 25th, raising the national heritage disaster national crisis alert level to "serious."
The Korea Heritage Service stated that as of 5:30 p.m. on the 25th, it had issued a national heritage disaster national crisis alert at the "serious" level across the country. This is the first time the national heritage disaster national crisis alert has been raised to the "serious" level.
A representative of the Korea Heritage Service noted, "The risk of fire damage to national heritage due to the large forest fires in Uiseong County and Andong City, as well as simultaneous forest fires occurring nationwide, is very high."
The fire that started in Uiseong quickly spread through Andong, Cheongsong, Yeongyang, and Yeongdeok. The UNESCO World Heritage sites, Andong Hahoe Folk Village and Byeongsan Seowon, have also come under threat. The Korea Heritage Service said, "The fire is currently 8 kilometers around Hahoe Folk Village," adding, "Ten fire trucks and 54 firefighters are on standby in the village, and they are spraying water around the houses."
The Korea Heritage Service plans to move major cultural artifacts as a precaution against any unforeseen circumstances. Byeongsan Seowon has already relocated its main building's sign to the World Confucian Museum.
About 30 officials from the Korea Heritage Service, the National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage, and the National Gyeongju Cultural Heritage Research Institute are on the move to relocate important cultural artifacts stored at Bongjeongsa in Andong. Bongjeongsa was included in the 'Mountain Temples, the Seon Temples of Korea' recognized as a World Heritage Site in 2018. The Daeungjeon and Geungnakjeon have been designated as national treasures, while the Yeongsanhoe Gwaebuldo, Amitabha Seolbeopdo, Yeongsanhoe Sangbyeonghwa, and the Wooden Avalokitesvara Statues have been designated as treasures. The Korea Heritage Service plans to use two 5-ton non-vibration vehicles to transport the Buddhist paintings to the National Daegu Museum.
As of 7 p.m. on that day, a total of 8 cases of damage to national heritage have been confirmed.
According to the Korea Heritage Service, two buildings, the Yeonsujeon and the Gaunru of the designated treasure Gounsa Temple in Uiseong, have been completely destroyed. The famous scenic site, Manhujeong Garden in Andong, known as the filming location for the drama "Mr. Sunshine," was also burned. Damage to national heritage due to the fire is expected to increase further.
The levels of the national heritage disaster national crisis alert are divided into ▲Concern ▲Caution ▲Warning ▲Serious. The Korea Heritage Service has previously developed a practical manual for responding to disaster types according to their nature, such as wind and flood, earthquake and tsunami, and landslide. The 'National Heritage Disaster Crisis Management Standard Manual,' which stipulates the duties and roles of related agencies and the disaster management system necessary for disasters at a national level, was approved this year.
A representative of the Korea Heritage Service stated, "It is the first time that we have issued the crisis alert and raised it to the 'serious' level after integrating and revising the existing manual in January." When the crisis alert is at the 'serious' stage, personnel responsible for essential duties within the Korea Heritage Service go on emergency duty, with the Administrator commanding or responding to the situation.