Korea is rightly proud of some of its heritage, much of which has been given official recognition by UNESCO. For those of you who like lists, here are the various items of Korea’s tangible and intangible heritage which have been so listed. Also included below are links to any LKL articles on these treasures.
(1) World Heritage
First, possibly the most high-profile list, mainly because it’s a list of things that you can tick off on your trips around Korea.
| Year | Cultural heritage item | LKL links |
| 1995 | Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa Temple (ROK) | Here |
| 1995 | Haeinsa Temple Janggyeong Panjeon, the Depositories for the Tripitaka Koreana Woodblocks (ROK) | Here |
| 1995 | Jongmyo Shrine (ROK) | Here |
| 1997 | Changdeokgung Palace Complex (ROK) | Here |
| 1997 | Hwaseong Fortress (ROK) | Here |
| 2000 | Gyeongju Historic Areas (ROK) | Here |
| 2000 | Gochang, Hwasun and Ganghwa Dolmen Sites (ROK) | Here |
| 2004 | Complex of Koguryo Tombs (DPRK) | N/a |
| 2009 | Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty (ROK) | Here |
| 2010 | Historic Villages of Korea: Hahoe and Yangdong (ROK) | N/a |
| 2013 | Historic Monuments and Sites in Kaesong (DPRK) | Here |
| 2014 | Namhansanseong Fortress (ROK) | Here |
| 2018 | Baekje Historic Areas (ROK) | Here |
| 2015 | Sansa, Buddhist Mountain Monasteries in Korea (ROK) | N/a |
| 2019 | Seowon, Korean Neo-Confucian Academies (ROK) | N/a |
In addition, there are two items of Natural heritage which gets listed:
| Year | Natural heritage item | LKL Link |
| 2007 | Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes (ROK) | N/a |
| 2021 | Getbol, Korean Tidal Flats (ROK) | N/a |
(2) Intangible Cultural Heritage
Next, the Intangible Cultural Heritage items. But what is Intangible Cultural Heritage? This, from the UNESCO site:
According to the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, the intangible cultural heritage – or living heritage – is the mainspring of our cultural diversity and its maintenance a guarantee for continuing creativity.
The Convention states that the ICH is manifested, among others, in the following domains:
- Oral traditions and expressions including language as a vehicle of the intangible cultural heritage;
- Performing arts (such as traditional music, dance and theatre);
- Social practices, rituals and festive events;
- Knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe;
- Traditional craftsmanship.
The following items of Korea’s heritage are listed:
(3) Memory of the World
UNESCO’s programme aiming at preservation and dissemination of valuable archive holdings and library collections worldwide
(4) Biosphere Reserves
Possibly a less familiar list. According to the UNESCO website,
Biosphere reserves are ‘learning places for sustainable development’. They are sites for testing interdisciplinary approaches to understanding and managing changes and interactions between social and ecological systems, including conflict prevention and management of biodiversity. They are places that provide local solutions to global challenges. Biosphere reserves include terrestrial, marine and coastal ecosystems. Each site promotes solutions reconciling the conservation of biodiversity with its sustainable use.
From the DPRK, the following sites are listed:
- Mount Paekdu (1989)
- Mt. Kuwol (2004)
- Mount Myohyang (2009)
- Mt Chilbo (2014)
- Mt Kumgang (2018)
And from the ROK:
- Mount Sorak (1982)
- Jeju Island (2002)
- Shinan Dadohae (2009)
- Gwangneung Forest (2010)
- Gochang (2013)
- Suncheon (2018)
- Gangwon Eco-Peace (2019)
- Yeoncheon Imjin River (2019)
- Wando Archipelago Biosphere Reserve (2021)
(5) Tentative list
Finally, a list of those properties which each Korea intends to consider for nomination to the World Heritage list in the future
From the ROK:
- Archaeological Remains at the Hoeamsa Temple Site in Yangju City (20/07/2022)
- Gaya Tumuli (28/01/2019)
- Stone Buddhas and Pagodas at Hwasun Unjusa Temple (24/01/2017)
- Seoul City Wall (23/11/2012)
- Naganeupseong, Town Fortress and Village (Suncheon-si, Jeollanam-do) (11/03/2011)
- Oeam Village, (Asan-si, Chungcheongnam-do) (11/03/2011)
- Upo Wetland (Changnyeong-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do) (11/01/2011)
- Salterns (Jeollanam-do) (11/01/2010)
- Daegokcheon Stream Petroglyphs (Ulsan Metropolitan City) (11/01/2010)
- Ancient Mountain Fortresses in Central Korea (Chungcheongbuk-do) (11/01/2010)
- Sites of fossilized dinosaurs throughout the Southern seacoast (25/01/2002)
- Kangjingun Kiln Sites (Jeollanam-do (01/09/1994)
- Mt. Soraksan Nature Reserve (01/09/1994)
And from the DPRK:
- Mt. Myohyang and the Relics in and around the Mountain (2000)
- Historical Relics in Pyongyang (2000)
- Mt. Kumgang and the Historical Relics in and around the Mountain (2000)
- Caves in Kujang Area (2000)
- Mt. Chilbo (2000). Admitted into the list on 13 June 2014.
Links: