[The Chosun Ilbo, March 31 2008] 3-D Technology to Create Virtual Monument

The Graduate School of Culture Technology of the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology said Sunday that it will use digital technology to build a virtual version of the Sungnyemun. The nation's no. 1 national treasure, more commonly known as Namdaemun, was destroyed in a fire last month. A three-dimensional digital reproduction will enable the public to experience and learn about the treasure in detail.

The technology is designed to help restore cultural assets. For existing cultural assets that need restoration, such as the Seokguram Grotto, an ancient hermitage in Gyeongju, it creates 3-D data by beaming lasers onto the item. For treasures whose original forms were destroyed, such as the nine-story wooden pagoda of Hwangryongsa Temple from the Shilla Dynasty, it fills out the original form based on excavated corner stones and tiles. Both methods will be used for the Sungnyemun, since parts of it survived the fire. The school will announce details of plan after a second meeting of experts.