Seventy-year-old man caught in the act of graffitiing Gyeongbokgung's Gwanghwamun stone wall with a magic marker

Less than two months after an illegal video-sharing site operator was sentenced to eight years in prison for instructing a minor to graffiti Gyeongbokgung in exchange for 100,000 won, another graffiti incident at Gyeongbokgung has occurred.

On the 11th, the Cultural Heritage Administration reported, "At around 8:10 AM, a Gyeongbokgung staff member confirmed a person graffitiing on the stone wall of Gwanghwamun and handed them over to the police."

The perpetrator of this incident has been identified as a 79-year-old man, Mr. Kim, residing in Gangseo District, Seoul.

Mr. Kim used a black magic marker to write the phrase "A message to the people and the world, President Trump" on the stone base under Gwanghwamun.

Since he was caught in the act of graffitiing, the reason and background for the message he wrote have yet to be confirmed.

Strict response announced against acts of damage to Gyeongbokgung

The Cultural Heritage Administration plans to begin the graffiti removal process on the same day, working with experts from the National Palace Museum’s Artifact Science and Preservation Treatment departments.

Additionally, the Cultural Heritage Administration has announced a strict response to acts of damage to Gyeongbokgung.

A representative of the Cultural Heritage Administration emphasized, "According to the 'Cultural Heritage Preservation and Utilization Act,' we can issue a restoration order to the person responsible for the graffiti and demand reimbursement for the costs necessary for restoration."

It has been estimated that about 131 million won was spent to erase spray graffiti written around the Yeongchumun gate and the National Palace Museum near the end of 2023.

Image sources: On the 11th, the site of the graffiti incident on the stone wall of Gyeongbokgung's Gwanghwamun is covered with a tent. / News1, On the 11th, traces of graffiti remain on the stone wall of Gyeongbokgung's Gwanghwamun. / News1, On the morning of the 11th, officials from the Cultural Heritage Administration are removing the graffiti from the stone wall of Gwanghwamun in Seoul. / News1, December 16, 2023, wall of Gyeongbokgung damaged by graffiti / News1