A fire broke out at the National Hangeul Museum in Yongsan, Seoul, on the 1st and was fully extinguished after about seven hours. No visitors or cultural heritage items were damaged.
The fire started around 8:40 AM on the third floor, spreading to the fourth. Firefighters issued a Level 1 response within 50 minutes, deploying 76 equipment units and 262 personnel. The flames were largely controlled by 12:31 PM, but it took additional time to clear residual embers. The fire was fully put out by 3:22 PM.
Authorities suspect welding sparks from an ongoing construction project may have caused the fire.
Investigations are ongoing, including an assessment of the sprinkler and smoke control systems, which were reportedly not operational. One firefighter was injured, and six workers evacuated safely.
The museum had been closed for expansion work since last October, preventing additional casualties. The third and fourth floors were destroyed, but no cultural heritage losses were reported. Key artifacts had been relocated earlier to the National Museum of Korea.
Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism Yoo In Chon apologized for the incident and promised stricter safety measures at cultural facilities.
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