CHA offers look at animals living at palaces, royal tombs

The Cultural Heritage Administration on Friday announced it has released six photos and six videos of animals living at palaces and royal tombs in Korea.

The CHA added there are also photos of the sites of palaces and royal tombs for people who would like to visit the sites but cannot do so due to the virus situation.

The palaces and royal tombs have been shut down since May 29 due to the spread of the COVID-19.

The organization highlighted that the video content includes raccoons playing near Jongmyo, the oldest royal Confucian shrine and ducks strolling around the Gyeonghoeru Pavillion -- a venue for state banquets during the Joseon era -- in Gyeongbokgung.

There is also a photo of a bird‘s nest near royal tombs in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province.

Instead of hiring professional photographers, employees of CHA took the photos and filmed the videos themselves while cleaning and maintaining the closed palaces and royal tombs.

The newly released photos and videos are available on the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center’s website ((http://royal.cha.go.kr) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/royalpalaces_tombs).

Meanwhile, the CHA said it will also hold eight drive-in music concerts at Gyeongbokgung from July 9 to 19.

By Song Seung-hyun (ssh@heraldcorp.com)