Seoul: Tensions are rising around Hahoe Folk Village in the southeastern city of Andong as wildfires that originated in nearby Uiseong County last week are rapidly approaching the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the city issued emergency text alerts to residents near Hahoe Village and Byeongsan Seowon at approximately 8:20 p.m., advising them to evacuate as the wildfires neared. An official stated that drone surveillance detected temperatures of around 40 degrees Celsius at a location four kilometers from Byeongsan Seowon, prompting the evacuation advisory.
Authorities reported that the wildfire has spread to within three kilometers of Byeongsan Seowon, a Confucian academy also recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Firefighters are actively spraying water on the buildings to prevent the fire from causing damage.
Hahoe, located about 190 kilometers southeast of Seoul, is a renowned folk village in South Korea, recognized by UNESCO in 2010 for its preservation of houses and traditions from the Joseon Dynasty. The justice ministry has begun transferring approximately 800 inmates from a prison in Andong to other facilities as a precautionary measure against the advancing flames. The forest fire originated in Uiseong's Ansa district, approximately seven kilometers from Hahoe, and smoke has been carried into the village by the wind. The village's 200 residents were evacuated to safety early Wednesday morning, leaving the area deserted.
Firefighters noted that smoke began infiltrating the village around 10 a.m., with its concentration increasing throughout the day. The village is now enveloped in thick gray smoke, making it difficult to breathe without a mask. Authorities have mobilized 14 firefighting vehicles and 98 personnel to safeguard Hahoe village from potential fire damage. Crews have been diligently spraying water and flame retardant on the village houses and the surrounding pine forest every two hours to prevent the spread of the fire.