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| ▲ Choi Eung-Chon, head of the Korea Heritage Service, covers a stoned Buddha statue with fire-resistant cloth at Gounsa Temple in Uiseong county, about 180 kilometers southeast of Seoul, as wildfires spread into the region on March 25, 2025, in this photo provided by Choi's office. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
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Ancient temple in Uiseong burned down by wildfires
UISEONG, South Korea, March 25 (Yonhap) -- An ancient temple in the southeastern county of Uiseong was completely burned down Tuesday as wildfires continue to ravage the region, authorities said.
Gounsa Temple, built more than 1,000 years ago during the Silla Dynasty (57 B.C.-A.D. 935) in Uiseong, located about 180 kilometers southeast of Seoul, was fully engulfed by the fire at around 4:50 p.m., according to forest authorities.
A Buddhist architectural structure from the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), designated as a national treasure, was also destroyed in the blaze.
Authorities confirmed that a stone Buddha statue and other cultural treasures had been moved to safe locations in North Gyeongsang Province. Monks and other people at the temple evacuated before the fire reached the area.
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