Gounsa Temple, a 1,300-year-old Buddhist temple in Uiseong, North Gyeongsang Province, was burned to the ground on March 25, 2025. / Yonhap
Gounsa Temple, a 1,300-year-old Buddhist temple in Uiseong, North Gyeongsang Province, was burned to the ground on March 25, 2025. / Yonhap
Wildfires raging on near Nam Andong Interchange. / Kwon Gwang-soon

At least 24 people have been killed and 19 injured as South Korea’s wildfires continue to ravage the southeastern regions of the country, according to government officials.

Wildfires that first broke out in Uiseong, North Gyeongsang Province, on March 22, rapidly spread to other areas, including Andong and Cheongsong, driven by strong winds and dry weather.

The flames are encroaching upon the country’s most prized cultural assets, including multiple UNESCO World Heritage sites and centuries-old temples, prompting an emergency response to protect national heritage. Andong is home to five treasures, including the Daeungjeon Hall of Bongjeongsa Temple and 49 Treasures.

Gounsa Temple, a 1,300-year-old Buddhist temple in Uiseong, was reduced to ashes at around 4:50 p.m. on March 25 after flames swept through the area. The blaze destroyed the entire temple complex, including the Joseon-era Yeonsujeon Hall and Gaunru Pavilion, both designated national treasures from the Unified Silla Dynasty (668-918).

Although firefighters had sprayed water in the area the day before, the fires, fueled by strong winds, proved too powerful to contain. More than 20 monks evacuated to nearby Bongjeongsa Temple in Seohu-myeon, Andong, and no injuries were reported. “There’s nothing left,” said Do-ryun, a monk at Gounsa. “All of the temple buildings have been destroyed.”

Built by Monk Uisang in 681 during the reign of King Sinmun of the Silla Kingdom, Gounsa serves as Branch Temple No.16 of the Jogye Order, the country’s largest Buddhist sect. Of the three treasures, only the stone Buddha statue was saved and moved to the Andong Youth Culture Center. Another 1,000-year-old temple in Uiseong, Unramsa Temple, was also destroyed by wildfires on March 22.

Hahoe Folk Village in Andong and Byeongsanseowon Confucian Academy, both UNESCO World Heritage sites, are also at risk from the spreading wildfire. Firefighters sprayed water around the heritage sites to shield them from the approaching fire. For the first time in history, the Cultural Heritage Administration issued a “severe” alert—the highest level of disaster warning for cultural assets.

Firefighters sprayed water around Hahoe Folk Village in Andong to protect the heritage site from the approaching fire. / News1

By 10 p.m. on March 25, the fire had crept to within 8 kilometers of Hahoe Village and Byeongsanseowon in Pungcheon-myeon, Andong. The Gyeongbuk Fire Department deployed helicopters to scoop water from the nearby Nakdong River and spray it over both sites. Five fire trucks have been dispatched to Hahoe Village and four to Byeongsanseowon, and all 30 village fire hydrants have been opened for public use.

City authorities sent emergency evacuation orders to Hahoe Village residents around 5 p.m. on March 25, urging them to evacuate to nearby Jeowuri Village. Firefighters sprayed fire retardants around Hahoe Village and Byeongsanseowon, and residents also joined the efforts, splashing water on their thatched roofs. “I’m shaking all over because I don’t know when the fire might come,” said Ryu Sang-ik, 47, a village resident.

Hahoe Village, nestled in a bend of the Nakdong River, is a well-preserved clan village of the Pungsan Ryu family and was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2010. The village is home to numerous heritage sites, including shrines, pavilions, and traditional homes. Yangjindang, the head home of the Pungsan Ryu clan, and Chunghyodang, the birthplace of 16th-century Joseon-era scholar Ryu Seong-ryong, are both designated treasures. Nine other buildings are recognized as important folk heritage sites. The village has hosted several prominent visitors, including Queen Elizabeth II in 1999 and her son Prince Andrew in 2019.

Nearby Byeongsanseowon was built to honor Ryu’s scholarly achievements and is often cited as one of Korea’s most beautiful Confucian academies. Its Mandalu Pavilion is a registered national treasure, and the site was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2019.

Also under threat is Bongjeongsa Temple, located on the outskirts of Andong. Home to Korea’s oldest surviving wooden structures, including the national treasure Geungnakjeon Hall, the temple is another UNESCO site added in 2018.

Wildfires have spread to neighboring Cheongsong County on March 26, putting Daejeonsa Temple Juwangsan National Park at risk.