UNESCO Hall with Curtain Wall Construction Designated as Cultural Heritage

Customs Report Documents Also Recognized for Historical Value

The UNESCO Hall and Customs (Haegwan) report documents (Incheon, Busan, Wonsan) will be managed as cultural heritage. The Cultural Heritage Administration announced on the 11th that it plans to register these two items as cultural heritage. Opinions from various sectors will be collected for one month, and the registration decision will be finalized after a review by the Cultural Heritage Committee.

The UNESCO Hall, located in Myeongdong, Jung-gu, Seoul, is a 13-story building completed in 1967. At that time, the rare curtain wall construction method was applied, erecting an exterior wall of glass on steel columns. It has served as a hub for international activities, hosting various meetings and academic forums. The Cultural Heritage Administration stated, "It is nothing less than a cradle of education, science, and cultural activities."

The Customs report documents at the National Library of Korea consist of twenty-two reports created by the Incheon, Busan, and Wonsan Customs offices, which handled customs duties at open ports during the 1880s and 1890s. These documents reveal not only customs duties, port construction, concession area surveying, quarantine, and customs administration work situations but also include blueprints of customs office buildings. Preventive quarantine guidelines issued in 1886 to block the influx of cholera can also be examined. The Cultural Heritage Administration said, "These materials provide information on the basic duties performed by each customs office during the opening period as well as the specific circumstances of each customs office," adding, "They hold great historical significance."