Establishing a Plan for the Conservation and Utilization of the Bangucheon Petroglyphs
A Green Light for World Heritage Inscription and Tourism Development
Ulsan City has officially launched a comprehensive maintenance plan service for the area surrounding the 'Bangucheon Petroglyphs in Ulju,' which are scheduled for World Heritage inscription in July.
This maintenance plan is being carried out based on the 'Act on the Conservation and Utilization of Natural Heritage' and the Cultural Heritage Administration's directive, 'Guidelines for the Establishment and Implementation of Comprehensive Scenic Site Maintenance Plans.' One of the main objectives is to establish a legal basis for securing national subsidies for the conservation and maintenance of national heritage.
The service began on May 12 and is scheduled to be completed by March 2026, with a total project budget of 200 million won.
The maintenance plan will include a systematic and comprehensive strategy focused on the petroglyphs, taking into account both the conservation of natural heritage and the potential for tourism development.
The main tasks include: △ plans for maintenance and restoration of the natural heritage area, △ strategies for the utilization of national heritage and tourism revitalization, △ review of regulatory relaxation, and △ establishment of phased project implementation and funding plans.
The city plans to shift to a conservation-centered management system for the Bangucheon Petroglyphs area once the maintenance plan is in place, while also utilizing it as a sustainable tourism resource for the region.
An official from Ulsan City stated, "As the Bangucheon Petroglyphs, one of Korea's representative prehistoric heritages, have a very high possibility of being inscribed as a World Heritage site, we plan to ensure that they are firmly established as such through this comprehensive maintenance plan." The official added, "We will do our utmost in establishing the plan so that it can be linked to future domestic and international academic research, the application of conservation technologies, and even revitalization of the local economy."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
