Font size: 
The 610-year-old wooden gate in the heart of Seoul, known as the "pride of the nation," collapsed early Monday, reduced to ugly twisted beams and ashes after burning wooden pillars tumbled to the ground.
More than 100 firefighters rushed to the scene, but their five-hour desperate efforts failed to bring the blaze under control. Because of its symbolic importance as the country's No. 1 national treasure, firefighters hesitated to break into the area where the fire started, leaving the ancient structure engulfed in flames.
Police have yet to determine the cause of the blaze, but said they suspect an arson attack citing witnesses' statements and two cigarette lighters found inside the structure.
One of the witnesses, a taxi driver who reported the fire to police, was quoted as saying to the police that he saw a man in his 50s go up the stairs to the gate with a shopping bag just minutes before the blaze started.
The loss of the gate has touched off widespread shock and dismay among South Koreans, who consider the structure the symbol of the country's cultural heritage and history of 50 centuries.
Namdaemun, or "Great South Gate," was constructed in 1398 and served as the main southern entrance to Seoul, which became the capital of the Chosun Dynasty (1392-1910). The two-story gate, one of the oldest wooden structures in the country, was designated as National Treasure No. 1 in 1962
The gate survived through all Korea's tribulations, from the Japanese and Chinese invasions in the 16th century to Japan's harsh 1910-1945 colonial rule and the 1950-53 Korean War. The ornate landmark, which is surrounded by modern skyscrapers, was a major tourist attraction as the "face of Seoul."
Tens of hundreds of citizens -- some weeping -- flocked to the destroyed gate to mourn the loss. Some snapped photos of the ruin, lamenting over the tragic incident. Flowers were placed in front of the destroyed gate.
"It is terrible to lose Namdaemun, which had endured over 600 years," said Kim Chong-hwan, a 38-year-old office worker. "It is shameful for the country that could not preserve its top national treasure. It feels like a collapse of the pride of the nation," he said.
"Last night, I watched the fire on television, but could not believe the collapse," said Kim Min-hee, a 20-year-old college student. "That's why I am here to witness it. I feel so sad," she said.
President-elect Lee Myung-bak visited the ruined site and expressed deep sadness over the collapse of the landmark. "Namdaemun was a symbolic cultural heritage of our nation. Its devastation hurts the hearts of the citizens," Lee said.
The collapse of the country's top national treasure could pour cold water on the festive inauguration of South Korea's new president slated for Feb. 25. The incident comes hours after Lee warmed up the inauguration ceremony by announcing his presidential office line-up.
Lee pledged to make his best efforts to restore the landmark gate as early as possible. According to the Cultural Heritage Administration, rebuilding the gate is expected to take three years and cost about 20 billion won (US$21 million), an official estimated.
The administration in charge of supervising artifacts offered a public apology. "We are deeply sorry. No words can express our sadness," it said in a statement.
But the government is under fire for its poor management of national treasures. In April 2005, a blaze destroyed one of the country's oldest Buddhist temples, Naksan Temple built in 671, along with its bronze bell, also a national treasure.
In May 2006, a drunken man set fire to the Hwaseong Fortress south of Seoul, designated in 1997 as a World Cultural Heritage site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. The fortress was partly destroyed. A man in his 60s set fire to an ancient palace in April 2006.
"The government must come up with detailed emergency steps to cope with any blaze in cultural heritage sites and take stronger measures against arson attacks to prevent the repeat of such a tragic incident," said Kim Do-kyung, an architecture professor at Kangwon University.
