<Anchor> On the
evening of the 5th, a fire broke out at a temple in Naejangsan, Jeongeup, Jeollabuk-do.
The police are holding and investigating a monk who set fire to the temple at the scene.
This is JTV Joo Hye-in.
<Reporter>
Daeungjeon of Naejangsa Temple in Jeongeup was engulfed in a bright red flame.
The firefighters try to sprinkle water, but the fire seldom shows signs of fading.
[Daewoo/Naesansa Temple Monk: I think it's strange because it smells so pungent, and when I go out, smoke comes out and the fire is lit.
(The monks) aren't all rushing in and there's a fire hydrant?
I mobilized everything.]
Yesterday evening, around 6:30, a report was filed by the police that he set a fire in the Daewoongjeon Hall of Naejangsa Temple.
The fire department ignited a great flame in less than an hour after the first step of the response was initiated by all fire department personnel in charge.
Naejangsan, which was designated as a national park, was right next to Daeungjeon where the fire was lit, but fortunately, it did not spread by a large fire.
The fire extinguished in two and a half hours after burning the entire temple.
Fortunately, cultural assets such as the Joseon Dynasty, which are tangible cultural properties of Jeonbuk, in the temple were not damaged.
The police are investigating and arresting a 53-year-old monk A, an arsonist at the scene.
Mr. A, who had been practicing at Naejangsa Temple for three months ago, was found to have admitted to the crime, saying that he set fire because he had a feeling of sadness in the temple during a police investigation.
[Built-in company official: He admitted that he sprinkled gasoline.
He said'why did you do that' and then he did it...
.]
Naejangsa Daewoongjeon, Jeollabuk-do Monument No. 63, was completely burned down due to an electric short circuit in October 2012, and was rebuilt in August 2015, three years later.