[Anchor] Officials have begun clearing decades-old illegal prayer sites that have occupied the high ridges of Geumjeongsan Mountain in Busan. Authorities say longstanding illegal structures and discarded construction materials will be removed in a coordinated operation. Reporter Go Hui-hoon has the scene. [Reporter] Donation boxes have been ripped out and nearby furnishings are being dismantled. Crews have started taking down illegal prayer sites that for decades occupied Geumjeongsan’s upper slopes. The cleanup targets areas around the rock-carved Maitreya statue near Godangbong, the Mirukbong area, and other sites above 700 meters (about 2,300 ft). Those locations—where prayer platforms, illegal buildings and discarded materials are tangled together—posed a wildfire risk and repeatedly damaged the landscape around cultural heritage sites. "I have seen fires start during shamanic rites, and I once put out a fire just before it spread. We've even had to physically stop shamans from continuing," said Yoo Jin-chul, chair of the Citizens' Geumjeongsan Preservation Association. The waste alone weighs about 40 metric tons. Because the terrain is remote and difficult to access, manpower alone could not handle the removal. Last month’s designation of Geumjeongsan as a national park cleared the way to use helicopters for direct removal. Yangsan City in South Gyeongsang Province will carry out administrative enforcement to remove the illegal facilities, while the Korea National Park Service will handle helicopter transport and on-site and post-removal management. Geumjeongsan borders six districts of Busan and Yangsan City in South Gyeongsang Province. "We have sent formal cooperation letters to the local governments for the sites we've identified and asked them to complete the necessary administrative procedures. We'll plan removals with the municipalities that respond and carry them out in stages," said Moon Chang-gyu, head of Resource Conservation at the Geumjeongsan National Park Office. The park service said it will install access-control measures after the cleanup and continue regular patrols and enforcement to prevent illegal activity from recurring. This is Go Hui-hoon of Yonhap News TV. take5@yna.co.kr [Video reporting: Kang Jun-hyuk] [Footage provided by Korea National Park Service] #NationalPark #Geumjeongsan #PrayerSites For story inquiries and tips: KakaoTalk/LINE: jebo23 | Go Hui-hoon (take5@yna.co.kr)
40 Tons of Waste to be Cleared: How Geumjeongsan's Cleanup Will Preserve Cultural Heritage
Ko Hwi-hun. | 2026.04.19
[Anchor] Officials have begun clearing decades-old illegal prayer sites that have occupied the high ridges of Geumjeongsan Mountain in Busan. Authorities say longstanding illegal structures and discarded construction materials will be removed in a coordinated operation. Reporter Go Hui-hoon has the scene. [Reporter] Donation boxes have been ripped out and nearby furnishings are being dismantled. Crews have started taking down illegal prayer sites that for decades occupied Geumjeongsan’s upper slopes. The cleanup targets areas around the rock-carved Maitreya statue near Godangbong, the Mirukbong area, and other sites above 700 meters (about 2,300 ft). Those locations—where prayer platforms, illegal buildings and discarded materials are tangled together—posed a wildfire risk and repeatedly damaged the landscape around cultural heritage sites. "I have seen fires start during shamanic rites, and I once put out a fire just before it spread. We've even had to physically stop shamans from continuing," said Yoo Jin-chul, chair of the Citizens' Geumjeongsan Preservation Association. The waste alone weighs about 40 metric tons. Because the terrain is remote and difficult to access, manpower alone could not handle the removal. Last month’s designation of Geumjeongsan as a national park cleared the way to use helicopters for direct removal. Yangsan City in South Gyeongsang Province will carry out administrative enforcement to remove the illegal facilities, while the Korea National Park Service will handle helicopter transport and on-site and post-removal management. Geumjeongsan borders six districts of Busan and Yangsan City in South Gyeongsang Province. "We have sent formal cooperation letters to the local governments for the sites we've identified and asked them to complete the necessary administrative procedures. We'll plan removals with the municipalities that respond and carry them out in stages," said Moon Chang-gyu, head of Resource Conservation at the Geumjeongsan National Park Office. The park service said it will install access-control measures after the cleanup and continue regular patrols and enforcement to prevent illegal activity from recurring. This is Go Hui-hoon of Yonhap News TV. take5@yna.co.kr [Video reporting: Kang Jun-hyuk] [Footage provided by Korea National Park Service] #NationalPark #Geumjeongsan #PrayerSites For story inquiries and tips: KakaoTalk/LINE: jebo23 | Go Hui-hoon (take5@yna.co.kr)
Recommended Posts
How the Arctic Route Revolutionizes Asia's Trade: A Deep Dive into China and India's Strategic Partnership with Russia
Is Revealing Wedding Gift Amounts in Company Chats Normal? Here’s What You Need to Know!
Shocking Case: Son-in-Law Arrested for Murder of Mother-in-Law in Daegu - What Happened?
Incheon’s Population Forecast: 305,000 to 242,000 by 2060 – What You Need to Know
New Education Law: What Parents Need to Know About Restrictions on Early Childhood Learning in 2026
Unlicensed Driver Flees Scene After Fatal Accident: What You Need to Know
Latest Popular Posts
Real-time TOP
