South Korea's No. 1 national treasure reopens after five years

Sungnyemun, which is known as Namdaemun or the Great South Gate, reopened to the public on May 4th. This building was erected in 1398 and renowned for Seoul's oldest gate, so the Cultural Heritage Administration designated it as Korea's No.1 national treasure. However, it was burnt down by an arsonist and finally collapsed despite efforts of many firefighters in February 2008. After the fire, a lot of workers, scientists, artisans and historians had striven for restoring this building and finally it came out with celebration which was marked by a military band parade, music and dancing.

For many Koreans, the first word that pops into their heads when they think of cultural properties is Sungnyemun. However, it was burnt down due to indifference of the public. I am glad Sungnyemun returned with its original appearance. I hope that people learn from this experience and will show more interest in preserving our cultural assets.

Frances Cha, South Korea's No. 1 national treasure reopens after five years. CNN Travel. May 9. Web
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