Seokguram Grotto is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site, evoking significant pride among the Korean people.

However, the grotto's interior remains inaccessible due to its enclosure with glass walls. This protective measure was implemented because the grotto suffered damage during the Japanese colonial era when its structure underwent dismantling and reassembly.

Beneath this grotto flows naturally cold underground water, maintaining a stable temperature within the stone chamber. This flow prevents dew condensation resulting from temperature disparities between the grotto's interior and exterior.

The walls and ceiling of the stone chamber were constructed using granite blocks, subsequently covered with tiles and earth. They serve the purpose of dehumidifying the space and ensuring the grotto can "breathe."

The grotto’s structure was delicately designed. However, the repair work conducted by the Japanese imperialists was carried out without a proper understanding of the structure. They impeded the flow of underground water, removed the tiles and earth covering the grotto, and concluded the repair work by encasing the grotto in cement, a novel material at that time.

This led to increased humidity and moss growth, exposing the stone structures to the risk of erosion. As a result, further repair work was undertaken in the 1960s, involving the installation of glass walls and a temperature controller to artificially regulate temperature and humidity.