Jongmyo, Joseon Kingdom’s royal ancestral shrine in central Seoul |
By Kwon Mee-yoo
Staff Reporter
Seoul City's plan to build a skyscraper near a Joseon-era relic, designated as UNESCO World Heritage Site, faces strong opposition from a group of historians.
The central government is planning an inspection to see whether the building project is historically insensitive enough to have the relic taken off the UNESCO list of treasures.
The metropolitan government is pushing for a plan to allow the construction of a 36-story, 122-meter-tall building in front of Jongmyo, the royal ancestral shrine of the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910).
The new structure, if built, would be located in Yeji-dong, Jongno-gu district, and block a direct view of the old relic. City Hall received approval for construction in March.
However, the Cultural Heritage Policy Research Institute (CHPRI), a private research center on the preservation of historic relics, opposes the plan.
It contended the building will show Korea's lack of historic sensitivity and may see UNESCO reconsider its designation as a home to some of the world's important historic remnants.
Jongmyo houses ancestral records of the Joseon royal lineage and kings themselves participated in rituals there.
It is the oldest existing royal Confucian shrine and was added to the World Heritage list in 1995.
"The tall building will block the view of Jongmyo. It will also disturb the serene ambience around the shrine," said Hwang Pyeong-woo, director of the CHPRI.
"We will have to notify UNESCO headquarters if the city carries out the plan."
Hwang added that it is quite possible that UNESCO will delist the shrine.
Seoul City said the plan has no problems, citing an opinion by experts it had consulted when it reviewed the plan.
"We lowered the height of the planned building by some 30 meters," said an official of Seoul Housing Corp. "We also suggested an alternative plan of planting 22-meter-high trees to surround Jongmyo after consulting the International Council on Monuments and Sites."
The Cultural Heritage Administration said it would look into the matter through an onsite inspection as soon as possible.
"It is difficult to judge only by the proposal and blueprint. An inspection will be arranged as early as next Wednesday," said an official.
However, there have been precedents for UNESCO to rescind designations after what it saw as reckless development taking place in the vicinity of treasures.
For one, Dresden Elbe Valley in Germany was removed from the World Heritage list after the Waldschlosschen Bridge was built across the valley.
Plans to construct skyscrapers near Cologne Cathedral in Germany and London Tower in the United Kingdom were cancelled due to possible withdrawal of World Heritage registration.
Korea currently has nine sites registered by UNESCO.
meeyoo@koreatimes.co.kr
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