Koguryo Tombs to Be on the List of UNESCO

Koguryo Tombs to Be on the List of UNESCO Koguryo Tombs to Be on the List of UNESCO

[korea Times 2004-04-18 15:42]

Kim Tae-jong Staff Reporter

The historical sites of the Koguryo Kingdom (B.C. 37-A.D. 668), a point of dispute between North Korea and China, will be put on the list of the UNESCO World Heritage as the cultural properties of both countries, said a Japanese envoy from the UNESCO on a news conferencein Beijing, China, Saturday.

The Japanese envoy Kunio Hirayama, while he was on a research trip in China and North Korea, said that the upcoming 28th general assembly of the World Heritage Convention in June will announce its decision to put the tombs of the ancient nation scattered in a number of sites in North Korea and China on the UNESCO World Heritage List.Hirayama mentioned that the Japanese Cultural Heritage ConservationOrganization and Italian government will offer Pyongyang $300,000 help preserve the Koguryo remains located in North Korea through the UNESCO, adding he has already signed the contract with the North Korean government on the condition that the North will also spend $500,000 to establish an institution to recover and preserve the remains of Koguryo Kingdom.

Although North Korea made an initial application in January 2002 forthe 63 Koguryo tombs in its provinces, it failed be put on the UNESCO list due to a lack of research and on-site surveys.China has asserted that the Koguryo period is part of its ancient history and also sought World Heritage status for Koguryo castles, relics and tombs since they have been held and preserved by the Chinesebecause of their geographical distribution in and around modern daynortheastern China.The Koguryo tombs contains various relics and wall paintings insidefrom the time when the kingdom extended as far as what is now Jian and Jilin Provinces, in China to Pyongyang, North Korea.

http://news.naver.com/news/read.php?mode=LSD&office_id=040&article_id=0000011261§ion_id=108&menu_id=108

Summary

Japanese envoy Kunio Hirayama from the UNESCO on a news conference in Beijing, China, Saturday said that the historical sites of the Koguryo Kingdom (B.C. 37-A.D. 668) will be put on the list of the UNESCO World Heritage as the cultural properties of North Korea and China.

Upcoming 28th general assembly of the World Heritage Convention in June will announce its decision to put the tombs of the ancient nation scattered in a number of sites in North Korea and China on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Although North Korea made an initial application in January 2002 forthe 63 Koguryo tombs in its provinces, it failed be put on the UNESCO list due to a lack of research and on-site surveys.

Then China has asserted that the Koguryo period is part of its ancient history and also sought World Heritage status for Koguryo castles, relics and tombs since they have been held and preserved by the Chinese because of their geographical distribution in and around modern day northeastern China.

Hosted by www.Geocities.ws