Man Caught Practicing Golf Near Ancient Tomb in Gyeongju

A man was spotted practicing golf near the ancient tomb of King Naemul (내물왕릉) in Gyeongju, South Korea, by a foreign tourist on June 19. The tomb, designated as Historic Site No. 188 in 1975, is the burial site of the 17th king of the Silla Dynasty and is located in the heart of Gyeongju, attracting numerous visitors from both domestic and international backgrounds. The tourist, identified as A, captured a photo of the man swinging a golf club on the grassy area in front of the tomb, dressed in black pants and a white shirt. Surprised by the scene, A asked a Korean friend, B, if it was permissible to play golf at a royal tomb, to which B responded that it was absurd. Following this incident, B's mother reportedly filed a complaint with the Gyeongju city hall the next day. The city officials stated that there are no surveillance cameras in the area, making it difficult to identify the man. A city representative mentioned that if the golfer's identity is confirmed, they would apply the Cultural Heritage Preservation Act regarding 'interference with management activities.' Additionally, they noted that nine personnel currently patrol over 290 historic sites and that they would enhance patrols in light of this incident.