[Anchor]

A ginkgo tree that has stood in an alleyway in Buam-dong, Seoul, for over a century has been withering away for the past two months. It was discovered that a large amount of a substance, believed to be herbicide, was injected into the tree by the museum right next to it.

Reporter Kim Gyu-ri has the story.

[Reporter]

In Buam-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, a ginkgo tree that has guarded the neighborhood for over 100 years stands along a sloped road next to a museum wall.

However, unlike other trees, its tall branches are filled with yellowed leaves instead of green ones.

When the tree, which was healthy just a few months ago, began to show signs of distress, local residents checked CCTV footage from the alley and were shocked.

On April 22, two men were seen using an electric drill to bore holes into the base of the tree and injecting a liquid suspected to be herbicide.

The men in question were employees of a landscaping company hired by the nearby Whanki Museum.

[Hyun Kyung / Resident of Buam-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul: The leaves were falling off as if it were autumn, so I went to check and discovered them in the act of injecting a toxic substance.]

The tree, which is over a century old, is now on the verge of dying right next to a museum dedicated to the artist Kim Whanki, who used the pen name Su-hwa, meaning to converse with trees.

Diagnostic results requested by the Jongno-gu Office from the National Institute of Forest Science and by environmental groups from experts stated, "It appears to be typical herbicide damage," and "Nearly 90% of the leaves have been bleached or discolored, and it is judged that there was an intent to kill the tree."

Environmental groups and residents have demanded that the museum take measures to help the tree recover and have filed a complaint with the police.

[Jo Hae-min / Activist at Seoul Korea Federation for Environmental Movements: The police must strictly investigate the truth behind the artificial harm inflicted on the Buam-dong ginkgo tree and the circumstances of the decision-making process.]

In an apology recently posted on its website, the Whanki Museum stated that they could not leave the situation unattended due to the increasing risk of the museum wall collapsing caused by the tree roots, and added that they are currently taking measures to help the tree recover and improve the related situation.

(Video reporting: Lee Sang-hak | Video editing: Jung Sung-hoon | Design: Kang Yoon-jung, Jeon Yu-geun)