South Korea's centuries-old Gounsa temple is left in ruins following unprecedented wildfires
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Unprecedented wildfires ripping through South Korea's southern regions have destroyed large parts of an ancient Buddhist temple, ruining two of its three state-designated 'treasures.'
Five days of wildfires, considered one of South Korea's worst, have left 24 people dead, destroyed more than 200 structures and forced 27,000 people to evacuate, officials said Wednesday.
The Gounsa temple was reportedly built in the 7th century during the Shilla dynasty that ruled the area and other parts of the Korean Peninsula at the time. It is nestled at the foot of Deungun Mountain in the southeastern town of Uiseong. While it doesn't house buildings constructed in the ancient period, it is home to several famous cultural heritages built later.
The temple, believed to have been erected in 681 A.D., was engulfed in flames on Tuesday when the wildfires worsened due to strong winds. About 20 of the temple's 30 buildings and structures were completely burned down, including the two revered structures: 'Gaunru,' a pavilion-shaped structure built in 1668 overlooking a stream, and 'Yeonsujeon,' another traditional structure built in 1904 to mark the longevity of a king, according to the state-run Korea Heritage Service.
Both were built during the Joseon dynasty, the last on the Korean Peninsula and were given the status of 'treasure,' a government-designated status given to old buildings, paintings and other cultural assets with historic and artistic significance that receive state-level protection and maintenance.
'I went there this morning and found they've been reduced to heaps of ashes,' said Doryun, a senior monk who lived at the temple for more than three years when he was younger. 'I feel really empty. Life is transient,'
Doryun now works for a Buddhist organization in charge of the temple. He said that monks and Buddhist faithful managed to move the temple's third 'treasure,' a stone Buddha statue reportedly built in the 8th century, to a safe place.
'Many buildings were burned down, but we moved and protected other sacred assets so that we maintain the temple. We feel it's very fortunate,' Doryun told The Associated Press over the phone.
Doryun also said about 20 monks and other workers live at the temple, but none have been injured.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hamilton Spectator
44 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
London-bound Air India flight with more than 240 aboard crashes after takeoff from Ahmedabad, India
AHMEDABAD, India (AP) — An Air India passenger plane bound for London with more than 240 people on board crashed Thursday in India's northwestern city of Ahmedabad, the airline said. Visuals on local television channels showed smoke billowing from the crash site in what appeared to be a populated area near the airport in Ahmedabad, a city with a population of more than 5 million. The airline said the Gatwick Airport-bound flight was carrying 242 passengers and crew. Of those, Air India said there were 169 Indians, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese and one Canadian. Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, the director general of the directorate of civil aviation, told The Associated Press that Air India flight AI 171, a Boeing 787-8, crashed into a residential area called Meghani Nagar five minutes after taking off at 1:38 p.m. local time. He said 244 people were on board and it was not immediately possible to reconcile the discrepancy with Air India's numbers. Gatwick posted on X that it could confirm the flight, which had been due to arrive at 6:25 p.m. in London, had crashed on departure. India's Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu posted on X that rescue teams have been mobilized, and all efforts are being made to ensure medical aid and relief support at the site. 'We are on highest alert. I am personally monitoring the situation,' he said. The 787 Dreamliner is a widebody, twin-engine plane. This is the first crash ever of a Boeing 787 aircraft, according to the Aviation Safety Network database. The aircraft was introduced in 2009 and more than 1,000 have been delivered to dozens of airlines, according to the flightradar24 website. Air India's chairman, Natarajan Chandrasekaran, said at the moment 'our primary focus is on supporting all the affected people and their families.' He said on X that the airline had set up an emergency center and support team for families seeking information about those who were on the flight. 'Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of all those affected by this devastating event,' he said. ___ Roy reported from New Delhi. Sheikh Saaliq in Srinagar, India, and Annika Wolters, David Rising, Adam Schreck and Lorian Belanger in Bangkok contributed to this report. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
The Hill
an hour ago
- The Hill
London-bound Air India flight with more than 240 aboard crashes after takeoff from Ahmedabad, India
AHMEDABAD, India (AP) — An Air India passenger plane bound for London with more than 240 people on board crashed Thursday in India's northwestern city of Ahmedabad, the airline said. Visuals on local television channels showed smoke billowing from the crash site in what appeared to be a populated area near the airport in Ahmedabad, a city with a population of more than 5 million. The airline said the Gatwick Airport-bound flight was carrying 242 passengers and crew. Of those, Air India said there were 169 Indians, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese and one Canadian. Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, the director general of the directorate of civil aviation, told The Associated Press that Air India flight AI 171, a Boeing 787-8, crashed into a residential area called Meghani Nagar five minutes after taking off at 1:38 p.m. local time. He said 244 people were on board and it was not immediately possible to reconcile the discrepancy with Air India's numbers. Gatwick posted on X that it could confirm the flight, which had been due to arrive at 6:25 p.m. in London, had crashed on departure. India's Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu posted on X that rescue teams have been mobilized, and all efforts are being made to ensure medical aid and relief support at the site. 'We are on highest alert. I am personally monitoring the situation,' he said. The 787 Dreamliner is a widebody, twin-engine plane. This is the first crash ever of a Boeing 787 aircraft, according to the Aviation Safety Network database. The aircraft was introduced in 2009 and more than 1,000 have been delivered to dozens of airlines, according to the flightradar24 website. Air India's chairman, Natarajan Chandrasekaran, said at the moment 'our primary focus is on supporting all the affected people and their families.' He said on X that the airline had set up an emergency center and support team for families seeking information about those who were on the flight. 'Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of all those affected by this devastating event,' he said. ___ Roy reported from New Delhi. Sheikh Saaliq in Srinagar, India, and Annika Wolters, David Rising, Adam Schreck and Lorian Belanger in Bangkok contributed to this report.
Associated Press
an hour ago
- Associated Press
AP Top Stories June 12
The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world's population sees AP journalism every day.
