Gyeongbok Palace defaced again; man in his 70s arrested for doodling on wall with marker

연합뉴스 / 2025-08-11 15:04:11

▲ Experts work to erase graffiti on the wall of Gyeongbok Palace in Seoul in this photo provided by the Korea Heritage Service on Aug. 11, 2025. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

SEOUL, Aug. 11 (Yonhap) -- Gyeongbok Palace, one of the nation's most important national cultural heritage sites, has once again been defaced, following a spray-paint graffiti incident in late 2023.

The Korea Heritage Service (KHS) said Monday that it apprehended a man right after he scribbled on the stone foundation of Gwanghwamun, the palace's main gate, using a black marker in the morning. He was subsequently reported to the police.

The suspect, a 79-year-old Seoul resident, wrote "A message to the people and the world" on the first line and "President Trump" on the second, but appeared to be stopped before completing the message. Authorities said the motive remains unclear.

▲ Experts work to erase graffiti on the wall of Gyeongbok Palace in Seoul in this photo provided by the Korea Heritage Service on Aug. 11, 2025. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

The KHS said it plans to remove the graffiti the same day and vowed to respond firmly to any acts of vandalism targeting national heritage.

By law, those who deface cultural heritage sites can be ordered to restore the damage and pay the full cost of restoration.

The Joseon-era (1392-1910) palace has been a target of vandalism before. In late 2023, a teenager spray-painted graffiti on the walls of the palace after being promised 3 million won (US$2,160) for the act. The cleanup cost was estimated at about 131 million won.