Petroglyphs along the Bangucheon Stream Likely to Be Inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage Site (Comprehensive)

ICOMOS Recommends Inscription
Decision on Bangucheon Petroglyphs' World Heritage Status Expected in July

The petroglyphs along the Bangucheon Stream in Ulsan are expected to be inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. According to UNESCO and other sources on May 26, the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) recently recommended the inscription of the "Petroglyphs along the Bangucheon Stream," which the Korean government has nominated for World Heritage status.

ICOMOS, the advisory and evaluation body in the field of World Heritage, investigates heritage sites nominated by each country and submits one of four recommendations?inscription, "deferral," "referral," or "non-inscription"?to the World Heritage Centre. In the absence of exceptional circumstances, sites recommended for inscription are inscribed by the World Heritage Committee.

The petroglyphs along the Bangucheon Stream are a heritage site that preserves traces of prehistoric culture on the Korean Peninsula, and collectively refer to the National Treasures "Bangudae Petroglyphs in Daegok-ri, Ulju" and "Cheonjeon-ri Inscriptions and Petroglyphs in Ulju." These sites encapsulate the aesthetic expressions and cultural transformations of people living in the southeastern coastal region of the Korean Peninsula from the Neolithic period to the Silla era.

In particular, the depictions creatively illustrating whales and major stages of whaling are regarded as masterpieces. The diverse images and inscriptions, created over approximately 6,000 years, are also considered unique evidence that attests to the rock carving traditions of each era.

The final decision on inscription will be made at the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee, which will be held in Paris, France in July. If the inscription is confirmed, Korea will secure its seventeenth World Heritage Site.