Cultural Heritage Administration Halts 145m Development in Front of Jongmyo Shrine..."UNESCO Inspection if Seoul Fails to Respond"

"Agreement on 72m Height Broken, High-Rise Plan Unilaterally Pushed Forward"
"Review Impossible Without Completion of Excavation"
Warning of International Action if No Response by January 30

Yonhap News Agency

The Cultural Heritage Administration has called for a complete reconsideration of the 'Sewoon District 4' redevelopment project, which is being promoted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and Jongno District, effectively putting the project on hold. The agency cited serious concerns that the project could significantly damage the landscape of Jongmyo Shrine, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The agency warned that if recommendations from international organizations are ignored, it will request an on-site inspection by UNESCO, signaling a strong response.

On January 26, the Cultural Heritage Administration announced that, in its review opinion sent to Jongno District on January 23, it pointed out that "the integrated review must be completely reconsidered, as the redevelopment plan announced by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, which breaks the existing agreement and allows for a maximum height of up to 145 meters, would negatively impact the preservation of Jongmyo Shrine, a World Heritage Site."

Initially, after nearly a decade of consultations since 2009, the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Cultural Heritage Administration agreed to limit the maximum building height in Sewoon District 4 to 71.9 meters, and project approval was granted in 2018. However, in October last year, the Seoul Metropolitan Government unilaterally announced a revision raising the maximum height to 145 meters, and Jongno District is currently pursuing an integrated review based on this change.

The fact that the excavation process for buried heritage has not been completed is also a point of contention. The Seoul Housing and Communities Corporation (SH Corporation), which is carrying out the project, confirmed the presence of valuable relics such as the Limun (village gate) and building sites from the Joseon Dynasty during an excavation survey in 2022. However, even after two years, no specific preservation plan has been presented.

Yonhap News Agency

An official from the Cultural Heritage Administration stated, "Under current law, it is impossible to proceed with construction without the completion of the excavation process as ordered by the head of the Cultural Heritage Administration," and criticized, "Proceeding with the integrated review without a finalized preservation plan is a procedural flaw that could lead to unnecessary design changes."

The possibility of intervention by the UNESCO World Heritage Centre was also suggested. The World Heritage Centre sent two official letters last year, recommending that "development approval be suspended and a Heritage Impact Assessment be conducted," but the Seoul Metropolitan Government has yet to respond.

The Cultural Heritage Administration warned, "If the Seoul Metropolitan Government does not respond with its actions by January 30, we will share this situation with UNESCO and request an immediate on-site inspection of the development site in front of Jongmyo Shrine."