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Daegu wildfire on Mount Hamji edges closer to Palgeo Fortress historical site

Published: 29 Apr. 2025, 11:03 Updated: 29 Apr. 2025, 11:04

KIM JU-YEON
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Palgeo Fortress located on Mount Hamji in Daegu [KOREA HERITAGE SERVICE]

The wildfire on Mount Hamji in Daegu has spread near the Palgeo Fortress, an ancient structure that dates back to the Three Kingdoms period (57 B.C.-668 A.D.) on Tuesday, according to forestry authorities.

The fire started around 2 p.m. on Monday, eventually spreading rapidly to trigger a Level 3 response from fire authorities. It had affected 260 hectares (642 acres) as of 9 a.m. on Tuesday. The containment rate was 92 percent as of 10 a.m., according to the Korea Forest Service.

Palgeo Fortress, located on Mount Hamji, is a stone-walled summit fortress thought to have been made in the Three Kingdoms period and primarily used during the Unified Silla period (668-935).

The state designated the fortress as a cultural heritage site in 2023 for both its historical and academic value as a strategic military stronghold used to protect Silla.

"Since the fortress itself is built of stone, direct damage from the wildfire is expected to be minimal," a forestry official said.

BY KIM JU-YEON [[email protected]]