An official wraps a Buddha statue with a fire-retardant blanket to protect it from a wildfire, at Gounsa temple in Uiseong, South Korea, March 25, 2025. REUTERS/Minwoo Park TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
ANDONG, South Korea (Reuters) - Charred, black ruins at South Korea's Gounsa temple stood on Thursday in stark contrast to the kaleidoscope of colours that are a trademark of the country's historic palaces and Buddhist temples.
Many of the buildings at the temple complex, first built by monks in the year 681, burned to the ground this week as South Korea's largest wildfire ever swept through forests and towns, killing at least 26 people and destroying or damaging priceless cultural sites.
