The Great South Gate Scandal
Korea Report surely bloviates about the fiery destruction of the Great South Gate (sungnyemun, or now, namdaemun):
While Koreans are aghast by the burning of the number-one national treasure, criticisms abound, from government's lack of attention and care of historical and cultural artifacts to the general trend in South Korea of fast-paced modernization and development policy that trumps outwardly show of achievements, wealth and commercialism at the expense of social harmony, safety for citizens, and respect for cultural legacy and identity.
Chosun Daily really goes over the top, though, calling the incident "Korea's 9/11". I think that occurred on June 25, 1950! Yet, it gets worse. South Korean police have apprehended a suspect who is a repeat offender: in April 2006 a man called "Chae" also burned down a part of Seoul's Changgyeong Palace. So, of course, South Koreans are blaming Seoul's firefighters.
Only on last Wednesday, as I was telling my wife's friend from Seoul about monuments and battlefield parks in the PA-MD-DC-VA area, she quipped that South Koreans have not taken care of their historical monuments. This woman had traveled extensively, but I'm certain she couldn't care less for Gettysburg and the Mall. I let South Koreans off the hook, saying that the Japanese (and we were all eating sushi and sashimi) had burned down most of the buildings. Obviously, in light of Hwaseong Fortress, Changgyeong Palace, and now, Sungnyemun, I was too forgiving.
I would blame both the police and "Chae".
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