In the Buam-dong district of Seoul, a cherished 100-year-old ginkgo tree that has long served as a neighborhood landmark is rapidly deteriorating, prompting residents to accuse a nearby art museum of deliberately poisoning it.
Jung, a resident who requested anonymity, described the emotional toll of watching the tree wither. “Imagine a grandfather who silently embraces you every day… Suddenly, he begins to die,” she said. “How heartbreaking would that be?” The incident has drawn national attention, transforming a local concern into a significant public controversy.
Residents observed green leaves falling from the tree during the summer, an unusual occurrence that signaled distress. Suspicion fell on the Whanki Museum, which had previously sought permission from local landowners to remove the tree, claiming its roots were compromising the museum’s outer brick wall.
Community members identified ten white plastic funnels protruding from behind the tree trunk. Initially thought to be nutrient injectors, these devices are now suspected by both residents and arborists to contain herbicides. Security footage reviewed by neighbors captured two individuals in white gloves drilling at the tree’s base in late April, leading locals to believe they installed the devices.
Following the discovery of the footage, residents, accompanied by police, confronted museum staff. Jung stated that an employee effectively admitted to tampering with the tree, noting, “Once they had said it, there was really no taking it back.”
The Whanki Museum, dedicated to the abstract painter Kim Whanki—often referred to as the “Picasso of Korea”—has neither confirmed nor denied injecting herbicide. In a statement issued in May, the museum maintained that the ginkgo’s roots were causing structural damage to its compound wall. It added that after letters sent to over 40 property owners received no response, staff “attempted to resolve the situation” without providing further details.
Conversely, a local council representative told the BBC that a prior inspection found “no meaningful connection” between the tree and any damage to the museum wall. The official stated that if an issue had existed, authorities would have taken appropriate action and notified relevant parties.
Residents have filed a police report against the museum’s director, and authorities are currently investigating the case, though police declined to release further details. The community is urging the museum to disclose the contents of the funnels so that experts can attempt to treat the failing tree.
The conflict carries particular irony, as Kim Whanki wrote essays under the pen name “Su-wha,” meaning “conversation with trees,” and the museum’s design was intended to harmonize with nature. Jung criticized the museum’s actions as “ignorance,” adding that there has been no apology for the treatment of the tree, which symbolizes longevity and resilience in Korean culture.
Environmental activist Choi Jin-woo expressed disbelief that such an act could occur in modern society. “When I first heard that a tree next to a museum had been poisoned with herbicide and was dying, I simply couldn’t believe it,” he said. “But when I saw the ginkgo shrivelling, I realised something this horrific could actually happen in our society.”
Despite the tree’s decline, an arborist has assessed it as being “90% of the way toward death.” The crisis has nonetheless strengthened community bonds, with neighbors sharing meals and organizing regular gatherings at the site. Residents have held prayers, recited Kim’s essays, and performed an “elm dance”—a ritual believed by some to promote ecological healing—in hopes of saving the iconic tree.
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