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| ▲ This photo of the Sukjeongmun section of Hanyangdoseong is provided by Seoul City. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- The historic fortifications built to defend Hanyang, the capital of the Joseon Dynasty, are taking a step toward becoming a UNESCO World Heritage site, as South Korea’s Korea Heritage Service (KHS) announced Friday that the “Capital Fortifications of Hanyang” have been officially selected as the country’s next World Heritage nomination.
The designation as a nomination target marks the final stage in the domestic process before a formal submission is made to UNESCO. To reach this point, a heritage site must pass through several stages: inclusion on the Tentative List, listing as a Priority Nomination, preliminary evaluation, candidate nomination, and finally selection as the formal nomination.
The “Capital Fortifications of Hanyang” encompass more than 600 years of history and architectural heritage. The site comprises Hanyangdoseong (the main city wall surrounding the Joseon capital), Bukhansanseong (a mountain fortress built as a wartime emergency base), and Tangchundaeseong (a smaller fortress designed to safeguard storage facilities and accommodate long-term defense and evacuation). These three structures form a unified system of pogok-style mountain fortresses—built along ridgelines, valleys, and hilly terrain—highlighting their strategic and historical significance.
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| ▲ This photo of the Baegaksan section of Hanyangdoseong is provided by photographer Seo Hyun-gang. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
In a 2023 preliminary evaluation by the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), the advisory body to UNESCO, the fortifications were assessed as having potential to meet the criteria for Outstanding Universal Value (OUV), bolstering hopes for successful inscription.
The KHS described the fortifications as “a legacy that exemplifies the tradition and creative evolution of Northeast Asian pogok-style fortifications and represents the pinnacle of capital fortress development on the Korean Peninsula.”
Previously, Hanyangdoseong and Bukhansanseong had each pursued World Heritage designation separately. Hanyangdoseong was listed on the Tentative List in 2012, but the application was withdrawn in 2017 after receiving a “not inscribable” recommendation from ICOMOS. Bukhansanseong’s Tentative List application was rejected by the Cultural Heritage Committee in 2018.
In response, the KHS recommended a unified approach, leading the Seoul Metropolitan Government, Gyeonggi Province, and the city of Goyang to jointly propose the three fortifications under a single nomination.
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| ▲ This undated Yonhap file photo shows the Tangchundaeseong fortress walls in Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
The KHS plans to submit a draft nomination dossier to the UNESCO World Heritage Centre by September, with a final application scheduled for January next year. Following a site inspection and document review process by ICOMOS, the final decision on inscription is expected at the 49th session of the World Heritage Committee in 2027.
“We will continue to work closely with local governments and related institutions to ensure the successful inscription of the Capital Fortifications of Hanyang as a UNESCO World Heritage site,” said a KHS official.
South Korea currently holds 17 World Heritage sites, beginning with Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto, the Janggyeong Panjeon at Haeinsa Temple, and Jongmyo Shrine in 1995. The latest addition was the Bangudae Petroglyphs in Ulsan.
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