Goyang City, Gyeonggi Province, will hold an academic conference on the excavation results of the Bukhansan Fortress Palace Site at KINTEX Exhibition Hall 2 on March 5.
This is the first academic event following the official submission of the UNESCO World Heritage nomination. The conference aims to establish scholarly evidence ahead of the 49th World Heritage Committee's review in 2027.
The Bukhansan Fortress Palace was built in 1712 during the reign of King Sukjong as a royal auxiliary palace. Serving as a key facility for capital defense during wartime, it comprised 129 kan (traditional Korean architectural units) including inner and outer halls. The palace was buried by a major flood in 1915, leaving only its foundation. Following its designation as a historic site in 2007, six precision excavation surveys were conducted from 2012 to 2025.
Bukhansan Fortress is being nominated for UNESCO World Heritage status under the title "Capital Fortress of Hanyang." The core value lies in its unique integrated defense system combining Hanyang Fortress (administrative center), Bukhansan Fortress (military defense), and Tangchundaeseong Fortress (connecting wall). The conference focuses on academically demonstrating the palace site's significance as both a military stronghold and wartime governance center.
The conference will begin with a keynote speech by Song In-ho, professor emeritus at the University of Seoul, followed by three presentations covering material procurement for palace construction, late Joseon architectural systems, and preservation, restoration, and utilization plans. A panel discussion will be led by Shin Hee-kwon, professor at the University of Seoul, with cultural heritage experts participating.
A Goyang City official said, "We hope this will be an opportunity to re-examine the palace site's value and discuss restoration and utilization plans, helping it become a shared heritage of humanity."