Criticism Pours Over Apartment Construction Near Gimpo Jangneung at Cultural Heritage Administration Audit
Calls for Severe Punishment of Responsible Officials and Board of Audit Investigation "False Report to UNESCO"
Frequent Selection of Apartment Sites Near Joseon Royal Tombs Since Moon Jae-in Government
"Opinion Submitted to Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to Consider Taereung and Gangneung Scenery"
Kim Hyun-mo, Commissioner of the Cultural Heritage Administration, attended the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee's audit of the Cultural Heritage Administration held on the 5th. Before the audit began, he received a report from officials. Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@
The National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee collectively criticized the Cultural Heritage Administration, which has been embroiled in controversy over the construction of apartments near Jangneung in Gimpo. On the 5th, Bae Hyun-jin, a member of the People Power Party, pointed out during the audit targeting the Cultural Heritage Administration, "The Cultural Heritage Administration failed to grasp the construction work that has been ongoing since 2019 and thus could not stop the construction." She then asked Kim Hyun-mo, the head of the Cultural Heritage Administration, "Should the apartments be demolished, or should the UNESCO World Heritage status of the Joseon Royal Tombs be revoked?"
At Jangneung in Gimpo, high-rise apartments that block the view when looking forward from the royal tomb have been constructed without permission, causing ongoing conflicts among the Cultural Heritage Administration, the construction companies, and prospective residents. Jangneung in Gimpo is one of the forty Joseon Royal Tombs registered as a World Heritage site. It is the burial site of King Wonjong, posthumously honored as the father of King Injo, and his wife Queen Inheon. Originally, Wonjong's tomb was located in Geumgok, Namyangju. When Injo ascended the throne through a coup, it was newly established in Gimpo. The Joseon Royal Tombs are arranged according to geomantic principles, with a main mountain (jusan) behind and an ancestral mountain (josan) in front, which corresponds to a dragon's peak. At Jangneung in Gimpo, the josan is Gyeyangsan. However, with the development of a large apartment complex in Geomdan New Town, Incheon, it has become obscured from view.
The Cultural Heritage Administration considers that nineteen out of the forty-four apartment buildings in the complex of about 3,400 households, which fall within the cultural heritage preservation area, violated the Cultural Heritage Protection Act because they did not undergo prior review. On the other hand, construction companies argue that Incheon Urban Corporation, which sold the apartment land in 2014, applied for a cultural heritage alteration permit to Gimpo City Hall, so there is no problem. Currently, construction on twelve buildings has been halted. The Cultural Heritage Administration plans to review improvement measures submitted by the construction companies by the 11th, then decide on a response after deliberation by the Cultural Heritage Committee.
If Jangneung in Gimpo is removed from the World Heritage list, other Joseon Royal Tombs could also be collectively stripped of their status. Representative Bae emphasized, "The Cultural Heritage Administration must take responsibility for acting as if it were not a party involved, even though it knew that many stakeholders, including prospective residents and construction companies, were anxiously waiting." She further pointed out, "Although the Cultural Heritage Administration recognized in May that high-rise apartments were being constructed without permission near Jangneung in Gimpo, it falsely reported to UNESCO in July that there was no illegal construction," calling for severe disciplinary action against those responsible and an audit by the Board of Audit and Inspection.
People Power Party Supreme Council Member Bae Hyun-jin is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 27th.
Lee Byung-hoon, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, said, "If the revised permit standards from 2017 had been properly communicated, this would not have happened." He criticized the Cultural Heritage Administration and related personnel for negligence, saying, "Twenty-five people work at the Jangneung management office, and the apartments are clearly visible from Jangneung." Fellow party member Jeon Yong-gi said, "Some may doubt that a single apartment could cause the World Heritage status to be revoked, but there is a significant difference between whether Gyeyangsan is visible or not," urging the Cultural Heritage Administration to respond appropriately to UNESCO. In response, Administrator Kim said, "We have decided to handle this strictly according to laws and principles." He added, "We will work closely with UNESCO to prevent reckless development."
Since the Moon Jae-in administration, it has become frequent to designate large apartment sites near the Joseon Royal Tombs for housing supply reasons. In 2018, the government designated the area around Seooreung in Deogyang-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi Province, as Changneung New Town, where 38,000 households will be built. Seooreung collectively refers to five tombs: Changneung, Ikneung, Gyeongneung, Hongneung, and Myeongneung. Last year, the government announced plans to build 10,000 apartments on the site of Taereung Golf Course, but reduced the supply to 6,800 units after residents' opposition. Taereung and Gangneung are located in front of Taereung Golf Course.
Lee Chae-ik, a member of the People Power Party and chair of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee, stated, "The Moon Jae-in administration was obsessed with apartment supply but neglected cultural heritage too much," adding, "While housing supply is important, preserving precious cultural heritage and passing it on to future generations is more important." In response, Administrator Kim said, "We have conveyed to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport the opinion that the landscapes of Taereung and Gangneung should be considered," adding, "When specific district unit plans are submitted, we will protect cultural heritage according to procedures."
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