The controversy surrounding a redevelopment plan announced by the Seoul city government to allow buildings up to 145 meters tall near the UNESCO World Heritage site Jongmyo has prompted significant backlash. Over 30 organizations, including associations related to cultural heritage and societies involved in history, archeology, and folklore, have issued a joint statement opposing the city’s plan.
On November 12th, these organizations expressed their concerns at a press conference, highlighting that tall developments near Jongmyo could seriously affect the view of and from the World Heritage site. They called for Seoul to immediately withdraw its building height regulation relaxation and establish new, publicly transparent criteria for building heights and placement.
Lee Sung-joo, the president of the Korean Archaeological Society, stated that while they respect the Supreme Court’s ruling granting legal legitimacy to Seoul’s ordinance amendment, it does not justify the development itself. He emphasized the necessity for culture heritage management to adhere to certain principles.
Professor Lee Yeon-kyung from Yonsei University, affiliated with the Korean Architectural History Society, stressed the importance of preserving Jongmyo in its condition at the time of its World Heritage designation in 1995.
Furthermore, the associations expressed regret that Seoul ignored the UNESCO-recommended Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) in their height elevation process. President Jung Hae-deuk of the Central Archaeology Society warned of the implications for preserving Jongmyo’s current state and the potential risks to other sites if promises to the global community are broken.
This event marks the first time that such a coalition of 30 archaeology and architectural societies and cultural heritage associations has issued a joint statement. They voiced their concern over recent conflicts between development interests and heritage preservation, drawing parallels to the ‘Royal Tomb View Apartments’ issue in Gimpo.
While they do not oppose development entirely, they propose that Seoul incorporate the impact assessment by UNESCO and collaborate with experts to create new guidelines. They also suggested broadening public discourse through open forums and on-site evaluations.
As of the afternoon of the 12th, 35 societies and associations have joined the statement, with expectations of more joining in the future.