A network of fortifications built to defend Seoul during the Joseon era (1392–1910) has been formally nominated for UNESCO World Heritage status.
The Korea Heritage Service told The Korea Herald on Friday that it had submitted a nomination for “Fortifications of Hanyang” to the UNESCO World Heritage Center earlier in the week, after revising an initial draft filed last year. Hanyang is one of several names previously used for Seoul.
The nomination brings together Hanyangdoseong, the main city wall of the Joseon capital; Bukhansanseong, a mountain fortress built for wartime emergencies; and Tangchundaeseong, designed to protect storage facilities and civilian evacuation routes. The sites form an integrated example of "pogok-style" mountain fortifications, a defensive system unique to the region where walls essentially encircle a valley.
UNESCO’s advisory body, the International Council on Monuments and Sites, will evaluate the site’s cultural and historical value and conduct an on-site inspection. A final decision is expected to come at a World Heritage Committee meeting in July 2027.
If approved, the fortifications would become South Korea’s 18th World Heritage Site. The nomination follows earlier failed attempts to list the individual fortresses separately, prompting authorities to pursue a unified designation.
gypark@heraldcorp.com
