While the World Heritage Impact Assessment surrounding the development of high-rise buildings in front of Seoul's Jongmyo Shrine faces difficulties, the impact assessment related to housing supply near Taereung is proceeding relatively smoothly, drawing attention.
The Korea Heritage Service (Commissioner Heo Min) said on the 4th that from June 1 to 3, in connection with the World Heritage Impact Assessment of development plans near the Joseon royal tombs, including Taegangneung, it reviewed the direction of the impact assessment with international experts and provided prior consultation on supplementary matters. When announcing measures for housing supply at the Taereung Country Club on January 29, the Korea Heritage Service had previously consulted with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) to faithfully carry out the impact assessment for harmony between World Heritage preservation and housing supply.
A Korea Heritage Service official explained, "This technical consultation was arranged to enhance the completeness of the assessment report by inviting international organizations to provide prior consultation during MOLIT's report preparation process, and to support faster project implementation by shortening the review period of international organizations going forward."
In this consultation, two experts from UNESCO and ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites), with the cooperation of the Korea Heritage Service, directly surveyed the sites of the Joseon royal tombs, including Taegangneung, together with relevant ministries such as MOLIT and the impact assessment team. They broadly reviewed the impact the development project would have on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the Joseon royal tombs, including Taegangneung, and held in-depth discussions.
The Korea Heritage Service explained that it communicated closely with relevant ministries such as UNESCO and MOLIT, and supported the objective and fair implementation of the international organizations' recommendations on the impact assessment.
The development near Taereung contrasts with the current difficulties surrounding the high-rise building development in the Sewoon District 4 in front of Jongmyo with Seoul City. Unlike MOLIT, Seoul City is refusing, claiming that the World Heritage Impact Assessment near Jongmyo would cause an excessive extension of the project period. Seoul City declared a high-rise development that changed the existing development plan last October, and its position is to push ahead without an impact assessment.
At a press briefing held at BEXCO in Busan on May 27 marking the D-50 countdown to the 48th UNESCO World Heritage Committee meeting, Korea Heritage Service Commissioner Heo Min responded to a related question, saying, "The Taereung area has already been undergoing the world impact assessment since early this year, so as I mentioned earlier, the process is expected to be completed within a year." He added, "The Sewoon District 4 in front of Jongmyo also began its impact assessment last October and is probably finished by now."
