[Korea Times 2004-06-29 16:48]
By Kim Tae-jong Staff Reporter
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Historical sites of the Koguryo Kingdom (B.C. 37-668), which are now scattered in North Korea and northeastern China, will be designated as `` World Heritage���� by UNESCO as cultural properties of both countries. During the 28th meeting of UNESCO��s World Heritage Committee in Suzhou, China, which started Monday and lasts through July 7, the two countries agreed to put the ancient nation��s historical heritages on the UNESCO World Heritage List, a South Korean envoy said on Tuesday. According to the envoy, the general assembly of the World Heritage Convention will officially make its decision Thursday to put tombs, old capitals and other relics of the ancient nation placed in both countries on its World Heritage List. |
Named as ``The Complex of the Koguryo Tombs,���� a total of 63 tombslocated in five different regions of North Korea such as the Tokpung-ni and Kangso Tombs, along with 16 tombs containing mural paintingswill be the first ``World Heritage���� that North Korea preserves.
And since Koguryo moved its capital cities many times in the areas which are currently in Chinese territory, the ancient kingdom��s capital cities and royal tombs in those regions will be on the World Heritage List as the cultural property of China.
Those areas have been regarded as a point of dispute between North Korea and China since the North failed to register its tombs and mural paintings in January 2002, allegedly due to poor preservation andUNESCO��s lack of research on the North��s historical sites.
China asserted that Koguryo is part of its ancient history and also soughtWorld Heritage status for Koguryo castles, relics and tombs based onthe fact they have been held and preserved by the Chinese because oftheir geographical distribution in and around modern day northeastern China.Koguryo extended as far as what is now the Jian and Jilin provincesin northeastern China, to Pyongyang, North Korea and vied for dominance with two other ancient kingdoms of Korea, Silla and Paekje, on the Korean peninsula.
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Summary
On Tuesday a South Korean envoy said during the 28th meeting of UNESCO��s World Heritage Committee in Suzhou, China, which started Monday and lasts through July 7, the two countries agreed to put the ancient nation��s historical heritages on the UNESCO World Heritage List. According to the envoy, the general assembly of the World Heritage Convention will officially make its decision Thursday to put tombs(a total of 63 tombslocated in five different regions of North Korea such as the Tokpung-ni and Kangso Tombs, along with 16 tombs containing mural paintings) , old capitals which are currently in Chinese territory and other relics of the ancient nation placed in both countries on its World Heritage List. |
