Korean National Commission for UNESCO: "Heritage Impact Assessment Must Precede Jongmyo Development"

Statement Released
"Concerns Ahead of the July Committee Meeting in Busan"

Drilling scene at the Seoul Sewoon 4 District store heritage excavation site.

The Korean National Commission for UNESCO has once again emphasized the need to conduct a heritage impact assessment prior to the development of Sewoon District 4 in front of Jongmyo. In a statement released on May 11, the commission said, "The assessment is not a procedure for choosing a side when development and preservation are in conflict, but a tool for preemptively analyzing the impact on World Heritage values and seeking alternatives." The commission further stressed, "It must be conducted before any irreversible decisions are made."

Jongmyo was inscribed as South Korea's first World Heritage site in 1995. At the time, the International Council on Monuments and Sites, which was responsible for the evaluation, placed strong emphasis on protecting visual integrity. It was clearly stated that "the construction of high-rise buildings in surrounding areas that could negatively impact the view within the World Heritage site must not be permitted."

On May 6, the National Heritage Administration issued an administrative order to the Seoul Metropolitan Government and SH Corporation, instructing them to conduct an assessment and to suspend the project approval process until the results are available. The Korean National Commission for UNESCO voiced its position again, nearly two months after first speaking out on March 18.

On March 13, the UNESCO World Heritage Centre sent a letter warning that if the assessment was not confirmed to proceed by March of this year, Jongmyo's conservation status could be reviewed at the 48th session of the World Heritage Committee. The committee will be held in July in Busan, with Korea serving as the chair country.

Hong Hyun-ik, Secretary-General of the Korean National Commission for UNESCO, stated, "With the July committee meeting approaching, if there is insufficient procedural progress, it is difficult to rule out the possibility that the Jongmyo issue will be formally included on the agenda." He further warned, "There is concern about the gap between the prestige of Korea as the chair country and the procedural uncertainties currently surrounding Jongmyo. If the project stakeholders continue to adhere to the current approach, it could damage the nation's image and international credibility."

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