Tourists visit the Palace Museum after a snowfall in Beijing, capital of China, Nov. 30, 2019.  Photo: Xinhua

The head of Beijing's Palace Museum, Wang Xudong, issued an apology on Monday and suspended the museum's deputy director and security chief after photos of a car parked on the premises emerged online that enraged Chinese netizens. 

More than 200 people participated in the Palace Museum's closed day activity on January 13, Wang said in a statement on the museum's official Weibo account. The designated parking lot was full, and they moved it to the palace's main square which was not part of the approved plan. 

A photo of a vehicle parked inside the Palace Museum, known as the Forbidden City, went viral on Friday, stoking controversy as private cars are prohibited inside the historical landmark so the cultural heritage can remain preserved. 

Photos of two women dressed fashionably while standing in front of a Mercedes Benz SUV parked in one of the palace courtyards, were uploaded on Weibo by LuxiaobaoLL. The now-deleted post sparked heated discussions online. 

Some internet users slammed the duo, who appeared to be wealthy, for abusing their social status as the museum prohibits private vehicles from entering the premises.  

Modern construction material was used on the ground square, and the area has undergone multiple renovations, said the Palace Museum, claiming the area has always served as a vehicle passage and parking lot for special events. 

Wang also noted the incident reflected the shortcomings of internal management, and held the senior executives accountable. The museum's deputy director and head of security were suspended, without giving further details about the two, according to the statement. 

The palace head also vowed to strengthen management, as the incident served as a lesson. Vehicles driving through and parking at the Palace Museum shall be inspected to prevent further damage of the cultural relic, Wang said.

The apology, although offered late at night on Weibo, attracted widespread attention. The hashtag "Wang Xudong, curator of the Palace Museum apologized" had received over 5.3 million hits as of press time.

According to media reports, former Palace Museum director Shan Jixiang said vehicles are prohibited from entering for the same reason they're not allowed at Buckingham Palace in the UK and the Palace of Versailles in France as it's a matter of respecting culture. 

Even foreign state guests and heads of state do not receive "special treatment" that allows them to enter the palace with their cars.  

Chinese netizens expressed indignation over the preferential treatment given to those who have the right connections and wealth and called for the responsible to be punished.  

The statement contradicts earlier comments from Shan who vowed in 2015 that no vehicle would be allowed to park inside the palace, which should be realized in five years as efforts aimed at protecting cultural relics were increased.

Some netizens questioned the official apology as it was delivered late at night, and felt it was a move aimed at avoiding further attention and designed to play down the incident.