금정산 '불법 기도터' 정비…수십년 민원 해소 / 연합뉴스TV (YonhapnewsTV)

[Anchor] Illegal prayer sites that have been situated in the highlands of Mt. Geumjeong in Busan for decades are finally being cleared away. Illegal structures and waste materials that have been neglected for a long time are expected to be cleared away all at once. Reporter Koh Hwi-hun covered the scene. [Reporter] Donation boxes are being torn down, and surrounding fixtures are being removed one after another. The illegal prayer sites that have persisted for decades in the highlands of Mt. Geumjeong in Busan have finally begun to be cleared away. The targets include the area around the Rock-carved Standing Buddha near Godangbong Peak and the Mireukbong Peak area, all exceeding 700 meters above sea level. This area, where prayer sites, illegal structures, and waste materials were intertwined, has faced constant criticism for posing a risk of forest fires and damaging the landscape surrounding cultural heritage. [Yoo Jin-cheol / President of the Pan-citizen Geumjeongsan Preservation Association] "I have witnessed forest fires caused by shamanistic practices, extinguished fires just before they broke out, and even fought with shamans to stop them. It was quite something." The weight of the waste materials that need to be cleared alone amounts to 40 tons. Since it is a high-altitude area that is extremely difficult to access, relying solely on manpower was insufficient. With Mt. Geumjeong being designated as a national park last month, it has become possible to carry out the demolition directly using helicopters. This time, Yangsan City in South Gyeongsang Province is in charge of removing the illegal facilities through administrative enforcement, while the Korea National Park Service is responsible for helicopter transportation and on-site and post-management. Mt. Geumjeong is adjacent to six districts in Busan and Yangsan City in South Gyeongsang Province. [Moon Chang-gyu / Head of Resource Conservation Division, Geumjeongsan National Park Office] "We have sent official letters of cooperation to the local governments regarding the areas currently surveyed. We have requested that they comply with administrative procedures. Starting with the local governments that respond, we will establish a demolition plan together and proceed with the removal sequentially..." The National Park Service stated that even after the cleanup, they will install access control facilities and continue regular patrols and crackdowns to prevent the recurrence of illegal activities. This is Koh Hwi-hun from Yonhap News TV. [email protected] [Video Coverage by Kang Jun-hyeok] [Screen provided by Korea National Park Service] #NationalPark #Geumjeongsan #PrayerSite ▣ Subscribe to Yonhap News TV's documentary channel 'Docu-Digging'    / @docu-digging   ▣ Subscribe to Yonhap News TV YouTube Channel    / @yonhapnewstv23   ▣ The beginning of Korean news, Yonhap News TV http://www.yonhapnewstv.co.kr/