The Sungnyemun or South Gate, which was restored six months ago after being burned to the ground in an arson attack in February 2008, is already showing cracks and other signs of wear. One of the four pillars on the second level has developed a huge crack, and the traditional multicolored paintwork has cracked and peeled off many parts of the wooden structure.

After the gate burned to ashes, the Cultural Heritage Administration rolled up its sleeves to restore Korea's National Treasure No. 1 and to turn it into a "source of pride that will last a millennium." It took five years, W25 billion (US$1=W1,061) and 35,000 workers to restore it. The CHA claims the nation's top carpenters, painters, blacksmiths and stonemasons were mobilized. Workers fetchingly clad in traditional costume were featured in publicity photos, supposedly using tools that their ancestors had crafted in carving the pillars and shaping the stone to rebuild the gate. So what on earth went wrong?

The first step in restoring traditional wooden structures is to select top quality timber, but CHA apparently spent only W2.3 billion on lumber while pumping billions of won into publicity and other expenses that had nothing to do with the structure. On top of that, veteran carpenters warned it would take seven to 10 years for the timber to cure properly, but the CHA apparently insisted it could not wait that long. The administration was in a hurry to get results and ended up using timber that was improperly cured. There is no telling how many more cracks and warps will appear.

Germany, by contrast, spent 10 years restoring a single pillar in Cologne Cathedral that was destroyed by bombs during World War II. It was the CHA's inept management that resulted in lax security in the first place, allowing a disgruntled man to set fire to the national treasure. And now its ineptitude has led to shoddy restoration. The government must investigate CHA's handling of the restoration and make sure future generations can learn from its mistakes. Those found guilty of ineptitude must be held accountable. That is the only way to ensure that such disgraceful behavior does not happen again.

The government should also think twice about ins isting on traditional methods to restore national treasures if it would be realistically impossible to apply conventional craftsmanship and obtain same kind of materials. Rather than producing shoddy work, it must think about gently reinterpreting traditional methods and applying new techniques using modern technology.

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