A : “Man Arrested for Gyeongbok Palace Graffiti Offer”

An image of the vandalised walls of Gyeongbok Palace’s Yeongchumun on Dec. 17, 2023. [KOREA HERITAGE SERVICE]

A man in his thirties who allegedly offered two teenagers 3 million won (£2,200) to deface Gyeongbok Palace in central Seoul in December has been apprehended by the police, five months after the incident occurred.

The cyber investigation team at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency revealed on Thursday that the suspect, identified as A, was taken into custody on Wednesday, with plans to request an arrest warrant on the same day.

The two vandals, a 17-year-old boy and his 16-year-old girlfriend, were caught in December after spray-painting the palace walls on Dec. 16. They claimed they were approached online by an individual using the username “Team leader Lee” who offered payment to promote illegal streaming websites.

While the arrest warrant for the teenage boy was dismissed by the court due to his status as a juvenile offender, the man in his twenties involved in the second incident is currently facing trial. Prosecutors are seeking a three-year prison sentence for the damage caused to a national heritage site.

The Korea Heritage Service (KHS) reported that the total damage from the two incidents amounts to 150 million won, with restoration costs estimated at 121 million won for the first incident and 19 million won for the second.

Preservation efforts have been underway to restore the vandalised walls, with the latest restoration work carried out from April 18 to 24. The KHS intends to pursue civil suits against the vandals in June to seek compensation for the damages incurred.

The incident at Gyeongbok Palace serves as a stark reminder of the importance of preserving cultural heritage sites and the consequences of vandalising such historic landmarks. Authorities are committed to holding accountable those responsible for defacing national treasures like Gyeongbok Palace.

BY YIM SEUNG-HYE, KIM JI-YE [yim.seunghye@joongang.co.kr]