Jumunjin Cathedral and Old Huiungak Shelter, First Registered Cultural Heritage in Gangwon Province

Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province (Governor Kim Jin-tae) announced on the 11th that it has registered two provincial registered cultural heritages for the first time. This registration marks a new milestone in the preservation of modern and contemporary cultural heritage in the Gangwon region, with ‘Seoraksan Old Huiungak Shelter’ and ‘Gangneung Jumunjin Cathedral’ as the main subjects.

Jumunjin Catholic Church. Photo by Digital Gangneung Culture Encyclopedia

This provincial registered cultural heritage registration is significant as it is the first case in the Gangwon region since the related system was implemented in December 2019. Within Gangwon Province, there are 54 nationally registered cultural heritages, including well-known sites such as ‘Cheorwon Labor Party Office’ and ‘Chuncheon Former Governor’s Official Residence.’ Most of these heritages were registered before the provincial registered cultural heritage system was established.

Registered cultural heritage refers to modern and contemporary cultural heritages that are not designated cultural heritages but have existed for more than 50 years and require measures for preservation and utilization. Unlike designated cultural heritages, they are characterized by the absence of surrounding development restrictions.

Old Heeungak Shelter in Seoraksan. Photo by Seoraksan National Park Office

Among the newly registered provincial cultural heritages, the ‘Seoraksan Old Huiungak Shelter’ symbolizes mountain exploration culture. Built in 1969, the Huiungak Shelter is located on a mountain ridge at an altitude of 1,065 meters where major hiking trails of Seoraksan converge. Seoraksan is a popular mountain among domestic and international visitors, but due to severe weather changes, the Huiungak Shelter has functioned as an important resting place.

In particular, this shelter is the last privately established refuge facility in Seoraksan that has maintained its original form, and it is evaluated as a heritage that greatly influenced the subsequent construction of state-led shelters. It features a simple structure reflecting the construction technology and local conditions at the time of its establishment and holds historical significance as the foundation of Seoraksan National Park’s exploration culture.

Along with the old Huiungak Shelter, the ‘Gangneung Jumunjin Cathedral,’ also registered as a provincial cultural heritage, is the third parish established in the Yeongdong region. Since its establishment in 1923, it has played an important role as a key base for the spread of Catholicism while coexisting with the local community.

Although it has undergone several repairs since its completion in 1955, it still retains the architectural features of that time. It is recognized as a representative religious facility that reflects the level of construction technology in the 1950s and serves as a historical resource for Catholicism in the Gangwon region.

Along with the registration of these two provincial registered cultural heritages, the ‘Donghae Samhwasa Temple Jihwa Ornamentation’ will also be designated as a provincial intangible heritage. The Jihwa ornamentation used in Buddhist rituals, including the Samhwasa Water and Land Ritual (a national intangible heritage), is systematically transmitted within the local community, and its value is highly appreciated.

With this, Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province now holds a total of 737 national heritages (212 nationally designated, 469 provincially designated, and 56 registered).

Kim Kwang-cheol, Director of the Culture and Sports Bureau of Gangwon Province, stated, “The first registration of provincial registered cultural heritage is a meaningful starting point for the systematic preservation and utilization of modern and contemporary cultural heritage. We will actively strive to continuously discover national heritages that embody the historical and cultural uniqueness of the Gangwon region and pass their value on to future generations.”