President Roh Moo-hyun has accepted the resignation of the head of Cultural Heritage Administration who took responsibility for last week's Sungnyemun fire.

Administrator Yoo Hong-joon had offered to step down early last week, publicly apologizing for his agency's failure to safeguard the national treasure. But the president deferred processing the resignation, saying Yoo should first take care of the aftermath.

The upper wooden part of the landmark gate in downtown Seoul was completely burned in an arson attack on February tenth.