adanew

I am currently living in Seoul for my tenth year and just drove past Namdaemoon on Sunday a few hours before the fire. I disagree that it is just like a bunch of city gates in China - this gate is in a spectacular location at the heart of a major intersection with roads spinning off in different directions towards other gorgeous buildings - City Hall, Sejong Boulevard and Sejong Arts Center, the Kwangwhamoon Palace, Seoul Station. In a country such as this where most of the architectural heritage was destroyed over the centuries by constant invasion and war, Namdaemoon was a 600-year-old jewel. Walking or driving past it when lit up at night was like seeing the Eiffel Tower - there was a certain awe factor involved. The gate is a part of the language and the folklore of Korea too, and it is perhaps THE iconic symbol of this country. I couldn't believe this was allowed to happen. A 69-year old man, angry that the government had expropriated his land and paid him a mere $1,000, 000 for land he said was worth 3 million, was arrested yesterday and confessed. He was arrested in 2006 for setting fire to a local palace and causing $4,000 damage. He was convicted and given a 2-year suspended sentence and, as I understand it, never served any time. The firefighters thought they had completely extinguished the fire, but were unaware that it was still smoldering under the water-proof roof tiles. On the news just now reporters were busy sizing up security and fire precautions at the city's other palaces and temples. 'Bout time, I'd say. http://koreas-wiseman.blogspot.com/2006/10/namdaemoon-great-south-gate.html