|
Gate's Destruction Reveals National Neglect, Indiscipline
It was a night of bitter grief and utmost shame. The day of Feb. 10 will remain long in the minds of Koreans, who had to watch helplessly as their foremost national treasure of 600 years perished in just six hours in the heart of the capital. Whether accidental or intentional, Sunday's fire on Sungnyemun (Courtesy Reverence Gate) is a human disaster caused by government officials' incompetence and irresponsibility and the people's indifference. Few of us are free from blame.
A thorough post-mortem is urgent to prevent any recurrence of the heartrending loss. To be noted first is firefighters' amateurism in dealing with the blaze on the wooden structure. Had they been a little more expert, the fire could have been put out in its early stages. The officials said they could not break into the edifice for fear of damaging the precious cultural property, but it only shows a grave misjudgment that incurred an immeasurable loss.
The main blame should of course go to the two most responsible agencies the Seoul City Metropolitan Government and the Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA). It's hard to believe there was not a single night guard to protect National Treasure No. 1. Their decision to almost fully open the cultural heritage to the public was problematic, as most foreign countries put their first priority on preservation rather than the people's right to enjoy them. The gate had only eight fire distinguishers, and no fire sensors or sprinklers.
More seriously, this is far from the first if the biggest loss of historical heritage by carelessness. Since 1984, there have been 16 fires on cultural properties made of wood, including one on the Hwaseong Fortress in Suwon, South of Seoul, which was listed as a Unesco Cultural Heritage. In restoring the old fortress wall and gate, which took years, the CHA didn't seek advice from fire-prevention experts. The central government agency even omitted to make reports on six of the 16 fires.
Though belated, the latest incident should serve as an occasion for drastically enhancing related regulations and penalties concerning the security and management of priceless cultural properties. Officials found responsible for mismanagement or delayed responses should be strictly disciplined. The nation needs to get harsher with arsonists on public properties regardless of their motives, as vandalism is social and cultural terrorism. Each citizen should also be a voluntary protector of our common properties.
Officials say they can completely restore it in five years. But it would just be Sungnyemun's replica of the 21st century version. It will take another 600 years to revive the historical spirits contained in the original structure, which endured several wars but was felled by peacetime neglect and indifference. Cultural properties are products of a spiritual nature that transcend time. |
|
.jpg)
