"Let's Protect Prehistoric Sites by Installing Gates at Sayeon Dam" Agreement for the Preservation of Bangudae Petroglyphs

Ulsan City and Korea Water Resources Corporation Sign MOU on Petroglyph Preservation Measures on the 17th

Bangu-dae Petroglyphs, Ulju-gun, Ulsan.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] Ulsan City and Korea Water Resources Corporation (K-water) will sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the 17th at 11 a.m. at the top of Sayun Dam in Beomseo-eup, Ulju-gun, to establish preservation measures for the prehistoric Bangudae Petroglyphs.

This MOU was prepared following the recent proposal in the "Nakdong River Integrated Water Management Plan Study" to supply the surplus water of Unmun Dam (70,000㎥/day) to Ulsan City. It aims to review preservation measures for the petroglyphs through water level control such as installing sluice gates at Sayun Dam and to come up with the optimal plan for the "Feasibility Study on Installing Sluice Gates at Sayun Dam."

The two organizations plan to cooperate on the "Feasibility Study on Installing Sluice Gates at Sayun Dam," as well as on short- and long-term measures for preserving the Bangudae Petroglyphs, including installing sluice gates on the drainage channel, and resolving Ulsan City's water issues caused by water level control and sluice gate installation at Sayun Dam.

An official from Ulsan City said, "Through this MOU, we hope to find preservation and management methods that can protect the petroglyphs from repeated flooding and exposure, and to create an opportunity to solve Ulsan City's drinking water shortage problem."

The Bangudae Petroglyphs in Daegok-ri, Ulju-gun, designated as National Treasure No. 285, are the oldest petroglyphs in the world. They depict scenes of whale hunting by boat and various species of whales, and are evaluated as prehistoric art with no parallel origins worldwide.

Through academic seminars and international symposiums, global petroglyph experts and organizations have recognized it as a world-class prehistoric cultural heritage with outstanding value as a World Heritage site.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.