"Repeated Cultural Heritage Destruction and Damage, Blamed on Backward Administration of Government and Local Authorities"

Demand for Participation of Skilled Excavation Staff in Repairs and Maintenance
Calls for Legislation and Implementation of 'Responsible Official System' and 'Responsible Supervision System'

Academics have raised their voices in criticism regarding the destruction and damage of cultural heritage sites such as the Jiseokmyo (dolmen) in Gusan-dong, Gimhae City, the Bronze Age excavation site in Jukdong-ri, Oedong-eup, Gyeongju, and the Hanseong Baekje Fortress in Songpa-gu, Seoul.

Twenty-six nationwide cultural heritage-related academic societies, including the Korean Archaeological Society, the Historical Society, the Korean Ancient Studies Association, and the Korean Cultural Heritage Association, issued a statement on the 29th, criticizing, "The government and local authorities are not fulfilling their responsibilities and duties but are instead overlooking or encouraging the destruction and damage of cultural heritage." They emphasized, "It is clear that our precious cultural heritage, which should be passed down to future generations, will disappear without a trace," and urged, "We must quickly move away from backward cultural heritage administration, protect valuable cultural assets, and supplement institutional flaws in cultural heritage protection and management to advance toward a more progressive cultural heritage administration."

The issues raised mainly concern three matters: the court's unfair ruling against the Cultural Heritage Administration's order to halt construction by a construction company that built apartments near Jangneung in Gimpo without permission; the administrative lawsuit by Songpa District Office related to the restoration project of the Hanseong Baekje Pungnap Toseong; and the haphazard maintenance by Gimhae City that destroyed the cultural layer (a stratum indicating specific cultural patterns of an era) of the Gusan-dong Jiseokmyo.

The academic societies stated, "Due to complacency, ignorance, and a loose cultural heritage policy and administration, destruction of cultural heritage is occurring here and there across the country," and demanded, "The government and local authorities must improve the system to ensure that cultural heritage excavation investigators, who have the highest expertise in buried and excavated cultural heritage, participate mandatorily in repair, maintenance, preservation, restoration, and upkeep projects." They also called for the legislation and implementation of the 'Cultural Heritage Protection and Management Responsible Official System,' which mandates the expansion of qualified cultural heritage professionals, and the 'Cultural Heritage Responsible Supervision System,' which appoints cultural heritage experts continuously for preventive purposes.