The burning of South Korea's Namdaemun Gate in February was a terrible tragedy. A month after the fire was set by an arsonist, Koreans still mourn their national treasure, now a cinder. Along with many people around the world, we extend our deepest sympathy for the terrible loss of an ancient symbol at the very heart of Seoul.
The estimated several years and billions of won to be spent in restoration will not repair the pain most Koreans felt watching the televised burning of the gate. Knowing police captured the perpetrator remains little consolation. In sifting through the ashes of this fire, a few lessons can be learned, though.
The Namdaemun gate had rested virtually unprotected for over 600 years. Only a warning sign, a few lights and a small lock kept it safe. The man confessing to the crime used nothing more than small bottles of paint thinner and a couple of lighters. It was, in other words, preventable. In this day and age, such treasures cannot be left without protection. Honoring tradition involves security precautions of a more serious, substantive kind than ever before.
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