Joseon palaces and royal tombs damaged by heavy snow

A recent investigation has revealed that last month's heavy snowfall in the Seoul metropolitan area caused over 1,000 instances of damage to the palaces and royal tombs of the Joseon Dynasty.

On Tuesday, the Cultural Heritage Administration reported that the heavy snowfall in November caused a total of 1,025 instances of damage to the palaces and royal tombs of the Joseon Dynasty. This included broken or fallen tree branches and damage to surrounding structures. Of the total damage, 903 cases were at the Joseon royal tombs, and 122 were at the major palaces.

The Cultural Heritage Administration explained that the damage was especially severe because the wet snow, which is about three times heavier than regular snow, affected trees in the palaces and tombs, particularly evergreen trees like pines, which keep their leaves during winter. All affected trees have now been restored. After the snowfall, the Cultural Heritage Administration temporarily suspended visits to the four major palaces—Gyeongbokgung, Deoksugung, Changdeokgung, and Changgyeonggung—and the royal tombs while conducting snow removal and repairing damaged facilities. An emergency budget of 402 million won was allocated to clear pathways and remove fallen trees.

With the restoration work now complete, the four major palaces and royal tombs have reopened to the public. However, some areas, including royal tombs in Seooreung (Goyang), Yungneung and Geolleung (Hwaseong), Taereung and Gangneung (Seoul), Heolleung and Inreung (Seoul), Jeongneung (Seoul), and Yeongneung and Yeongneung (Yeoju), remain restricted due to ongoing repairs.


Sang-Un Kim sukim@donga.com