Suspected arsonist Chae Jong Gi, 69, said he was sorry he had destroyed something that was dear to so many people, but added defiantly: 'Nobody got hurt. You can always restore a cultural heritage.'

Namdaemun, or 'Great South Gate', a massive stone and wood structure, was reduced to a charred hulk early on Monday morning.

There has been a steady outpouring of anger and sense of outrage at the destruction of an iconic symbol of national pride.

'I do not think this is a feeling that will go away soon,' said labourer Kim Jae Dong.

Mr Jang Kyeong Joon, a private business owner, said: 'Who knows how many years longer that gate might have stood there for the future generation. He basically burnt down the face of the country.'

Chae was led to Namdaemun yesterday by police to re-enact climbing up the side of the gate and setting the blaze with paint thinner.

Police often take suspects, with TV cameras, back to crime scenes in high-profile cases for re-enactments, which are part of the criminal investigation and are often seen as an act of contrition by the suspect.

Chae said he acted on impulse, but maintained he did it out of revenge against the government, which he said had treated him unfairly.

Police have said he was angry over the poor compensation he received for his property when it was taken over for a project.

Chae was convicted in 2006 for starting a fire to a palace, but the court suspended his sentence.

The gate, built in 1398, was the oldest wooden structure in Seoul. It had withstood invasions and colonial occupation, and was one of the few historic structures in the capital still standing after the 1950-53 Korean War.

The fire also prompted China to issue a circular ordering fire safety checks for ancient monuments across the country.

REUTERS