President Park Geun-hye ordered her staff Monday to strictly investigate cultural restoration projects, saying those found responsible for shoddy repair work should be severely punished.

Park gave the order to her chief of staff Kim Ki-choon ahead of a meeting of senior presidential secretaries early in the day, citing recent revelations that the ancient Sungnyemun Gate was poorly restored, according to her senior press secretary Lee Jung-hyun.

“This morning, President Park ordered a strict investigation into the overall administration of cultural assets in connection with the shoddy repair work of such assets, including the poor restoration of Sungnyemun Gate, and that those involved in irregularities be held strictly accountable, and that institutional countermeasures be drawn up,” Lee said at a press briefing.

Kim passed on the order to the relevant senior secretary, he added.

Sungnyemun Gate, the country’s National Treasure No. 1 and one of the four gates that surrounded Seoul during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), reopened in May after undergoing years of repair due to an arson attack in 2008.

However, it was recently revealed that the wooden gate had been poorly restored, with cracks in some of its pillars, mismatched parts and damaged paintwork. (Yonhap News)