Wildfires tearing through the southern regions of South Korea have killed at least 28 people and destroyed or threatened hundreds of historical sites. As of Thursday, the wildfires have burned at least 88,980 acres of land, according to the South Korean government’s disaster response center.
Gounsa Temple Burned to the Ground on Tuesday
Gounsa Temple, a major Buddhist landmark in Uiesong County, was among hundreds of buildings destroyed by ongoing wildfires in South Korea. Founded in 681 CE by the monk Uisang during the Silla Dynasty, Gounsa Temple was built on the slopes of Mount Deungun in the rural township of Danchon-myeon. It served as the head temple of the 16th district of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism.
As wildfires approached the Gounsa Temple site on Monday, officials from the Korea Heritage Site relocated some of its most valuable relics to other areas. Among these was a seated Buddha statue that had been designated a national treasure by the government. The temple itself could not be saved, and the structure was completely destroyed on Tuesday afternoon. Only a ceremonial bell remained partially intact.
“These Fires Are Ravaging the Heritage of Local and Buddhist Communities”
According to Han Duck-soo, South Korea’s prime minister and acting president, the wildfires are the worst the country has seen in recent years and have caused “unprecedented damage.” Lee Han-kyung, South Korea’s disaster and safety division chief, said, “This wildfire has once again exposed the harsh reality of a climate crisis unlike anything we’ve experienced before.”
Alison Tickell, founder and CEO of Julie’s Bicycle, a non-profit that mobilizes the arts to take action on the climate crisis, also responded to the destruction of Gounsa Temple and other historic sites. She told The Art Newspaper, “After a year of record-breaking heat, these fires are ravaging the heritage of local and Buddhist communities. Our heritage connects us all with our ancestors, our responsibility to our future, and what it means to belong to a bigger whole. Witnessing the burning of irreplaceable and precious places is another clarion call to act now to protect our shared heritage.”
Fires Also Threaten UNESCO-Listed Folk Village
The wildfires have also forced the evacuation of the historic Hahoe Folk Village, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Andong, South Korea. Fire crews are currently working to protect the village’s traditional homes by deploying water around the site. Dating back to the 14th and 15th centuries, Hahoe Folk Village is one of the best-preserved settlements from the Joseon Dynasty, the last and longest-running dynasty of Korea. The village was built in the shape of a lotus flower according to the principles of pungsu, a Korean form of feng shui.
