Joseon pavilion burned to the ground in Gangneung wildfire

Heritage authorities remove signboards from the Gyeongpodae Pavilion in Gangneung, Gangwon Province, on Tuesday morning as wildfires burned close to the site. (CHA)

A wildfire in Gangneung that has raged for more than eight hours Tuesday damaged a number of important cultural heritage sites in the eastern coastal city.

Sangyeongjeong, a Joseon-era pavilion located by the scenic Gyeongpoho Lake, was burned to the ground while another Joseon-era pavilion, Banghaejeong, built in 1859 by Yi Bong-gu, a retired official, was partially burned.

Parts of Inwolsa Temple, located near the two pavilions, were also damaged in the fire.

Meanwhile, seven old signboards were removed from Gyeongpodae Pavilion, a state-designated cultural treasure from the Joseon era, to the adjacent Ojukheon Municipal Museum, the Cultural Heritage Administration said Tuesday afternoon.

"We found minor traces of water on the signboards and have reported it to the cultural heritage preservation authority," a CHA safety standards division researcher told The Korea Herald.

No further damage has been reported as of 4:30 p.m, but authorities are looking closely into the damages that have occurred at the three heritage sites, the official said.

Gyeongpodae Pavilion is one of the most visited sites in Gangwon Province for its scenic view overlooking the coastal lake.

By Kim Hae-yeon(hykim@heraldcorp.com)