Palace Museum apologizes for dereliction of duty on car-driving ban violation

BEIJING - The Palace Museum apologized late Friday for oversight that made possible the car driving by a woman inside the Forbidden City, according to its official Weibo account.

The driving action came to light due to four pictures showcasing an off-road vehicle parking in the corner of the square in front of the Gate of Supreme Harmony (Taihemen). The pictures, shown to be shot on Monday, the museum's scheduled closure day, were posted by the woman driver on Sina Weibo and triggered intense outrage among Chinese netizens.

Some netizens demanded further investigations into the incident and punishment while others expressed disappointment at the museum management for failing to well protect the site of the world cultural heritage.