World Heritage

Jeju Island Geological Sites (2010)

UNESCO's Global Geopark Network of National Geoparks announced on Oct. 3 that it has designated a total of nine scenic sites on Jeju Island as global geoparks. These nine sites are Halla Mountain; Seongsan Ilchulbong Peak; Manjanggul Cave; the Seogwipo Stratum; Cheonjiyeon Waterfalls; Jusangjeolli Cliffs; Sangbang Mountain; Yongmeori Beach; and Suwolbong Peak. Prior to the designation of the nine sites, Jeju Island has already won recognition for its volcanic sites and lava tubes, which were designated UNESCO world heritage sites in July, 2007. In 2002, UNESCO certified Halla Mountain as a Biosphere Reserve.

Historic Villages of Korea: Hahoe and Yangdong (2010)

Korea's two historic traditional villages -- Hahoe in Andong and Yangdong in Gyeongju – both in Gyeongsangbuk-do (North Gyeongsang Province) were to be added to the UNESCO World Heritage List, the World Heritage Committee decided at a meeting held on Jul. 31 (Brazil time), 2010, in Brasilia, Brazil. The two villages show the characteristics of the Confucianism and folk culture of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), when many members of the same clan lived together. These villages also show the harmony of Joseon architecture, the social system and housing culture of the time.

Royal tombs of the Joseon Dynasty (2009)

In late June 2009, Korea's royal tombs of the Joseon Dynasty were officially registered as UNESCO World Heritage sites. The UNESCO website explained the uniqueness of the royal tombs, whose surrounding areas are "typically protected by a hill facing south toward water and layers of mountain ridges in the distance." Each royal tomb is also decorated with green gardens featuring pine trees arranged like a folding screen, a design unknown in any other nation in Asia. The tomb statues, in the shape of warriors, tigers, horses and other features, further evidences the art history of the 500-year-long Joseon Dynasty.

Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tube (2007)

UNESCO registered Korea's Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes as U.N.-protected heritage sites on June 27, 2007, reflecting the value of these nature preservation areas on Korea's largest, southernmost resort island. This is the first time for a Korean natural heritage site to be added to the World Heritage List; it already had World Cultural Heritage items designated by UNESCO. Located 130 kilometers south of the Korean Peninsula, Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes are comprised of a shield volcano, which is about 1.2 million years old, and which rises to 1,950 meters above sea level at Hallasan (Mount Halla), South Korea's highest peak, formed 25 thousand years ago. The site covers 18,846 hectares, over 10 percent of Jejudo (Jeju Island), and is covered with dark-brown volcanic rock and volcanic soil. The volcanic activities of Jeju Island started about 1.2 million years ago.

Dolmen sites of Gochang, Hwasun and Ganghwado, Gyeongju Historic Area (2000)

In 2000, dolmen sites in the counties of Gochang, Jeollabuk-do; Hwasun, Jeollanam-do; and Ganghwa Island, Gyeonggi-do (Gyeonggi Province), and the Gyeongju Historic Area were added to the list of UNESCO World Cultural Heritage. Dolmens, or "goindol" in Korean, are large stone monuments made as burial site markers by ancient peoples, mostly going back to the Neolithic age. Dolmens are found in many parts of the world, but Korea has the greatest number in the world, with about 30,000 of the tombs (including about 3,000 found in North Korea) or about 50 percent of the total number of dolmens in the world. Gyeongju in Gyeongsangbuk-do (North Gyeongsang Province) was the capital of the Silla Kingdom for a thousand years and the area is called a "Museum without Walls" because of the wealth of historical properties there.

Changdeokgung Palace, Hwaseong Fortress in Suwon (1997)

In 1997, Changdeokgung Palace in Seoul and Hwaseong Fortress in Suwon were entered on the list. Changdeokgung Palace, also known as Biwon (meaning the Secret Garden) in Korea, is one of Korea's five main palaces built during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). This palace was the favored residence among the many kings of the Joseon Dynasty for its treasured, beautiful secret garden of Biwon, which shows a wonderful harmony between nature and palace buildings. Hwaseong Fortress in Suwon was built by King Jeongjo, the 22nd King of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), in 1796 as an act of filial devotion to his parents and to strengthen his power, eradicate party strife and fortify the area south of the capital. After building Suwon, the king moved the grave of his father Sadoseja (Crown Prince, 1735-1762) to the fortress in his honor and made pilgrimage to the new city. Honoring the engineering techniques and the great efforts of King Jeongjo, who also encouraged commerce, manufacturing, architecture, engineering and other practical studies, UNESCO designated Hwaseong Fortress a World Cultural Heritage in 1997.

Bulguksa, Seokguram Grotto, Janggyeongpanjeon, Jongmyo (1995)

In 1995, UNESCO added to its list Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto, both in Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do (North Gyeongsang Province); Haeinsa Temple Janggyeongpanjeon, the depository for the Tripitaka Koreana Buddhist scripture Woodblocks in Gyeongsangnam-do (South Gyeongsang Province); and Jongmyo, the Royal Ancestral Shrine in Seoul. Supervised by Chief Minister Kim Dae-seong (701-774) of the Silla Dynasty (57 B.C.-AD 935), Bulguksa was constructed for public worship and Seokguram for the private worship of the king over a 23-year period beginning in 751. Bulguksa Temple houses some of Korea's precious treasures -- the Seokgatap (Pagoda of the Historic Buddha) and Dabotap (Pagoda of Many Treasures) as well as Cheong-un-gyo (Blue Cloud Bridge), Baegun-gyo (White Cloud Bridge) and Chilbogyo (Bridge of Seven Treasures). Seokguram Grotto is an artificially created stone cavern featuring a large seated Buddha surrounded by 38 Bodhisattvas. Both Bulguksa and Seokguram represent a combination of Silla's knowledge of architecture, math, geometry, physics, religion and art into an organic whole and is one of Korea's greatest Buddhist masterpieces. Janggyeongpanjeon, two storage halls at Haeinsa Temple, are the repositories for the Tripitaka Koreana, called Palman Daejanggyeong in Korean, a collection of Buddhist scriptures carved onto 81,340 wooden printing blocks in the 13th century during the Goryeo Dynasty (A.D. 918-1392). The Tripitaka Koreana is Korea's 32nd national treasure and the entire depository for Tripitaka Koreana in Haeinsa (temple) was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995. Jongmyo, the Royal Ancestral Shrine, constructed in 1395, three years after the beginning of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) holds the spirit tablets of its kings and queens. The elaborate memorial rites and the music that accompanies them, called Jongmyojerye-ak (also written as jongmyo jeryeak), were designated as Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. source: korea.net