한국전쟁기 남한지역 불교문화유산의 피해 양상: 『한국전쟁과 불교문화재Ⅰ~Ⅶ』 수록 자료를 중심으로 = A Study of Buddhist Cultural Heritage Damage in South Korea During the Korean War: An Analysis of 『Korean War and Buddhist Cultural Heritage I-VII』

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

This study examines the patterns of damage sustained by Buddhist cultural heritage during the Korean War. Traces of war-related destruction remain visible at temples and sacred sites across Korea, even after more than seventy years. However, systematic academic analysis of this damage has remained limited. Drawing on materials published between 2003 and 2023 in the Buddhist Cultural Heritage and the Korean War series, this study analyzes the temporal distribution, types, regional patterns, and responsible agents of wartime damage documented at Buddhist temples nationwide.
A total of 351 temples were found to have suffered war-related losses, including the complete burning or partial destruction of monastic buildings. Damage was concentrated in regions such as Jeolla Province and Jeju Island, where temples were frequently burned during counterinsurgency and military operations. Although some losses resulted from direct combat, most occurred during large-scale sweep operations in which cultural heritage protection was largely disregarded. Additional impacts included casualties among monastics, the interruption of temple activities, and, in some cases, the postwar conversion of temple sites into military facilities. Significant damage was also recorded to sacred objects－such as statues, paintings, and Buddhist woodblocks－which were widely lost through burning and military actions.
By organizing these cases into typological categories－damage type, temporal distribution, regional pattern, and responsible agents－this study establishes a structural framework for understanding the impact of the Korean War on Buddhist cultural heritage. The findings provide a basis for reconstructing wartime heritage loss and contribute to future preservation and management policies.