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| yna@yna.co.kr 2026-02-23 09:37:36
SEOUL, Feb. 23 (Yonhap) -- An inspection has concluded that the Daeungjeon Hall at Bulguksa Temple, a major historic temple on the eastern slopes of Mount Toham in Gyeongju, needs to be dismantled and repaired.
According to the Korea Heritage Service (KHS) on Monday, the National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage recently reported the findings at a meeting of the Cultural Heritage Committee’s architectural subcommittee as part of its 2025 priority monitoring program.
The institute has inspected major cultural properties, including national treasures and treasures, since 2015. Each year, 20 to 30 sites are selected for in-depth checks on structural safety, conservation science and biological damage, and are graded from “Good” (A) to “Emergency Action” (F).
Of 24 properties inspected last year — including 13 national treasures and 11 treasures — three were rated E, meaning repairs are required: Daeungjeon Hall at Bulguksa (Treasure), the Nangwon Daesa Stele at Bohyeonsa Temple (Treasure), and the Seven-Story Brick Pagoda at Beopheungsa Temple Site (National Treasure). The remaining 21 received a C grade, indicating the need for continued observation.
Designated a treasure in 2011, Daeungjeon Hall is the main worship hall of Bulguksa. Its front courtyard is flanked by the eighth-century Unified Silla masterpieces Dabotap Pagoda to the east and Seokgatap Pagoda to the west, both national treasures.
While the hall was reconstructed in 1765 during the reign of King Yeongjo of the Joseon Dynasty (1724–1776), its foundation stones and platform are believed to retain their original Silla-period form. Inspectors, however, found damage throughout the structure. A 2023 inspection also identified widespread deterioration, sagging and cracks in wooden members, and part of the ceiling framework fell in February last year.
The institute said the damage appears linked to previously identified deterioration of major structural elements and concluded that dismantling repair is necessary. The hall is scheduled to undergo dismantling and repair work this year.
At Bohyeonsa, the stele honoring Nangwon Daesa (834–930) was found to be leaning, with cracks running through the stone body, prompting a similar recommendation for dismantling repair to prevent further deformation.
The Seven-Story Brick Pagoda at the Beopheungsa Temple site — considered the largest and oldest surviving brick pagoda in Korea — received an E grade for the fifth consecutive year. Trains ran nearby for decades after a railway line was laid around the pagoda in the 1940s during Japan’s colonial rule. After the tracks were removed in 2021, the pagoda tilted about 35 millimeters to the northwest. The institute said no recent structural displacement has been observed and that the structure is currently stable, but added that conservation treatment is needed for cracks and damage in the roof stones and cement mortar in the base.
The institute plans to notify relevant agencies and local governments of the monitoring results next month and publish a full report around June. This year, 25 properties — 13 national treasures and 12 treasures — will undergo priority inspections, including Sungnyemun Gate, Cheomseongdae Observatory, and Geunjeongjeon Hall, along with newly added sites.
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