This paper re-examines the details of the repair work conducted on the Sŏkkuram Grotto in the 1960s to analyze the altered structure of the grotto and its subsequent impact on public perception. The restoration, carried out during the early years of the Park Chung-hee administration, combined modern and pre-modern methods and served as a precedent for state-led cultural heritage management. Key structural modifications from this period include the addition of a second concrete layer over the Japanese colonial-era concrete dome—creating a double-dome structure—and the realignment of the “"Eight Legions” (P'albujung) at the entrance from a curved to a straight configuration, fronted by a newly constructed wooden antechamber. As a result of these interventions, a specific historical narrative was solidified: Sŏkkuram began to be perceived primarily as an offshoot of Indian cave temples, characterized by a dual structure consisting of a rectangular antechamber and a circular main chamber. Furthermore, the interpretation of Seokguram as a state-protecting (hoguk) temple and a private prayer hall for the Silla royal family was established during this time. While the original Sŏkkuram built by Kim Dae-sŏng was a single Buddhist hall with a circular floor plan, these repairs transformed the hall into its current enclosed structure with an integrated antechamber.
Heejung Kang (Tue,) studied this question.