Yeoncheon Imjingang Crane Habitat Designated as Natural Monument

Sejong Imnansu Ginkgo Tree Also Recognized for Academic Value

On the 12th, the Cultural Heritage Administration designated the Yeoncheon Imjingang Crane Habitat and the Sejong Im Nansu Ginkgo Tree as national natural monuments. They plan to continuously cooperate with local governments to focus on preservation and utilization.

The former is the gravel and rapids area along the Imjingang River and the surrounding farmland. About 1,500 cranes hunt for food and rest there. Cranes are one of the ten symbols of longevity. They are depicted in Oriental paintings, sculptures, handicrafts, decorations, and even on the 500 won coin. During the Joseon Dynasty, cranes were embroidered on the official robes of high-ranking officials as a symbol of success. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has designated cranes as an endangered species for protection. There are about 11,000 cranes surviving worldwide, of which about 6,000 winter in South Korea.

The latter is a ginkgo tree located in Sejong-ri, Yeongi-myeon, Sejong City. It was planted in front of the shrine of Im Nansu (1342?1407), a loyal subject of the late Goryeo period. Related information is recorded in the Buan Im Clan Genealogy (a family record book, 1674), the relief painting of the Gongju-mok in Chungcheong Province (1859), the shrine painting (1934), and other sources. The Cultural Heritage Administration stated, "It is an old tree consisting of a male and female pair, differing from the previously designated single ginkgo tree." They explained, "The traditional planting method of symmetrical planting on both sides of the apricot altar (Haengdan) is used, and the descendants of the Buan Im clan still hold the Mokshin ritual, giving it high academic value."

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