The traditional guard ceremony at Sungnyemun will be resumed in April after being discontinued for eight years after a fire destroyed part of the wooden structure of the imposing historic gate, the Seoul city government said Sunday.
The watch ceremony with the chief gate keeper, along with other guards dressed in Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) uniforms, will be carried out from 10 a.m. through 4:30 p.m., it said.
The municipal authority said it already received permission from the Cultural Heritage Administration earlier in the month and that all precautions will be taken to make certain that the gate is not damaged. A support and safety staff of eight will also be on hand at the ceremony.
"Every effort has been made to make the ceremony as authentic as possible by checking archives and other records," a city official said.
Sungnyemun, or the "gate of exalted ceremonies," is one of eight gates that made up the 18.2 kilometer-long castle wall that surrounded Seoul. It was first built in the 14th century and has been designated as a National Treasure of South Korea. In 2008, the wooden portion of the gate was damaged by arson, with restoration work being completed in 2013. (Yonhap)
