Bangudae Petroglyphs submerged by heavy rain shortly after UNESCO designation
The Bangudae Petroglyphs in Daegok-ri, Ulju, Ulsan were fully submerged on Saturday after heavy rain caused the Sayeon Dam water level to rise, right. The left photo shows the same site taken from the same angle on July 3.
Rising dam waters threaten Korea’s newly listed World Heritage site and other national treasures
The Bangudae Petroglyphs in Ulsan, a UNESCO World Heritage site and National Treasure No. 285, have been completely submerged due to heavy rainfall, sparking concerns about preservation efforts. The site was designated a World Heritage site only one week ago.
According to local authorities in Ulsan on Sunday, the the petroglyphs of Bangudae Terrace located in Daegok-ri, Ulju County, were inundated after more than 300 millimeters of rain fell in a single day.
The petroglyphs, measuring 3 meters high and 10 meters wide, are carved into a cliff wall 4.6 kilometers upstream from Sayeon Dam. Flooding begins when the dam’s water level exceeds 53 meters and becomes complete above 57 meters.
On July 19, the water level surpassed 53 meters at 5 a.m., triggering submersion. By 1 p.m. it exceeded 57 meters, leaving the site fully underwater. As of 4 p.m., the dam level stood at 58.95 meters, and the rock face remained submerged for a second consecutive day.
Discovered in 1970, the petroglyphs have long been at risk due to repeated flooding. The broader designation known as “Bangudae Petroglyphs” includes not only the Bangudae site but also the Cheonjeon-ri inscriptions and rock art in the same region.
Experts now warn that the site’s full submersion so soon after UNESCO inscription underscores the urgent need for preservation. UNESCO classifies sites that lose their “Outstanding Universal Value” as endangered and may eventually delist them if damage remains unaddressed.
This is the first complete submersion of the Bangudae Petroglyphs since August 2023.
The Bangudae Petroglyphs in Daegok-ri, Ulju, Ulsan, were submerged on July 19 as rising water levels at Sayeon Dam follow heavy rainfall. This marks the site’s first submersion since October 2023. Yonhap
In addition to the Bangudae Petroglyphs, heavy rains damaged multiple heritage sites across southern Korea.
From July 16 to July 20, eight nationally designated heritage sites sustained damage, according to the Korea Heritage Administration.
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.