Baekje sites join UNESCO World Heritage list

By Chung Ah-young

Eight historical sites representing the Baekje Kingdom (B.C. 18-A.D. 660) have made it onto the UNESCO list of world heritage sites -- Korea’s 12th listing for such treasures.

The World Heritage Committee (WHC) approved Saturday the inscription of the Baekje Historic Areas in Gongju, Buyeo in South Chungcheong Province and Iksan in North Jeolla Province at its 39th session in Bonn, Germany.

The committee added the sites because they represent active exchanges and trade during ancient times among China, Korea and Japan and for their historical architectural value.

The eight areas are Gongsanseong Fortress; the group royal tombs in Songsanri in Gongju; the Gwanbuk-ri administrative buildings and Busosanseong Fortress; the Jeonglimsa Temple site; tombs of Neungsan-ri; Naseong Fortress in Buyeo; the royal palace at Wanggung-ri; and the Mireuksa Temple site in Iksan.

“Together, these sites represent the later period of the Baekje Kingdom -- one of the three earliest kingdoms on the Korean Peninsula -- during which time they were at the crossroads of considerable technological, religious (Buddhist), cultural and artistic exchanges between the ancient East Asian kingdoms in Korea, China and Japan,” UNESCO said.

The Gongju and Buyeo areas were the ancient capitals of the late periods of the Baekje Kingdom. The sites provide a comprehensive view of the history and culture of the Baekje Kingdom through various cultural heritage sites such as fortresses, tombs, and pagodas.

The committee recommended that the Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) and municipal governments come up with a tourism strategy and strengthen monitoring of some sites such as tombs.

“We hope the inscription will raise awareness about the Korean ancient states’ history and culture to the world and contribute to fostering a national image with strong cultural power and heritage,” CHA said.

Other UNESCO-registered treasures in Korea are the Depositories for the Tripitaka Koreana Woodblocks (1995), Jongmyo Shrine (1995), Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa Temple (1995) the Changdeok Palace Complex (1997), Hwaseong Fortress (1997), Gochang, Hwasun and Ganghwa Dolmen Sites (2000), Gyeongju Historic Areas (2000), the Royal Tombs of the Joseon Kingdom (2009) Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes (2007) and Namhansanseong Fortress (2014.

Meanwhile, the committee postponed a decision on Japan’s bid to include its early industrial facilities on world heritage lists as South Korea and Japan have failed to reach an agreement on a dispute over the shared history of some sites.

South Korea has claimed that Japan should acknowledge the use of Korean slave labor at seven of 23 industrial sites during World War II. The committee recommended that the two parties settle the issue.