Hapcheon Okjeon Ancient Tombs, Diverse Commemorative Events Held for World Heritage Listing

Gyeongnam Symphonic Band Commemorative Concert, etc.

Hapcheon County in Gyeongnam announced on the 16th that it held the ‘Hapcheon Okjeon Tumuli World Heritage Registration Commemoration Event’ at the outdoor event venue of Hapcheon Museum, attended by about 500 people including County Governor Kim Yoon-cheol, Gyeongnam Province Cultural Heritage Division Chief Kim Hyun-mi, Hapcheon County Council Vice Chairman Seong Jong-tae, Provincial Assemblyman Jang Jin-young, heads of institutions and social organizations, and residents of Hapcheon County.

The Hapcheon Okjeon Tumuli are located on the hills along the Hwang River, a key transportation route, and are a tumulus group that clearly shows active exchanges with other Gaya polities and neighboring states. They provide unique evidence demonstrating the Gaya civilization, which maintained a distinctive political system of a confederation while coexisting with the surrounding centralized ancient states. Recognized as an important site representing a type of ancient East Asian civilization, it was registered as a World Heritage site.

The Gaya tumuli groups began with three tumuli groups (Daeseong-dong in Gimhae, Malsan in Haman, and Jisan-dong in Goryeong) in March 2013 and expanded over more than ten years. In 2019, it was extended to seven tumuli groups (Hapcheon Okjeon Tumuli, Changnyeong Gyodong and Songhyeon-dong Tumuli, Goseong Songhak-dong Tumuli, and Namwon Inwol-myeon Yugok-ri and Durak-ri Tumuli). On September 24, 2023, the 45th World Heritage Committee held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, finalized the World Heritage registration.

Hapcheon Okjeon Ancient Tombs World Heritage Registration Commemoration Event.

This commemorative event was organized to widely promote the historical value of the Okjeon Tumuli, registered as a World Cultural Heritage site, both domestically and internationally, and to foster pride among local residents in the World Cultural Heritage, as well as to build consensus on its preservation and utilization.

The event consisted of a congratulatory performance, the main ceremony, and a field exploration of Hapcheon Museum and the tumuli site. The congratulatory performance featured a diverse show by the Gyeongnam Symphonic Band and a late autumn stage illuminated by the appearance of traditional Korean musician Oh Jung-hae, the lead actress of the film Seopyeonje.

Governor Kim said, “We will actively promote the Okjeon Tumuli, which was the center of international exchange in ancient society, and do our best to preserve and manage the Okjeon Tumuli so that its World Heritage value can be maintained for future generations.” He added, “Furthermore, we will actively communicate with cities that possess Gaya tumuli to widely share the Gaya heritage of the Okjeon Tumuli with the world and develop Hapcheon County into a historical and cultural tourism city that reaches out globally.”