The petroglyphs of Bangudae in Ulsan, vividly depicting the lives of prehistoric people on the Korean Peninsula, have been registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. UNESCO designated the Bangudae petroglyphs as a World Heritage and rated them as a “masterpiece.” With this, Korea now has 17 World Heritage Sites.
The UNESCO World Heritage Committee held its 47th meeting in Paris, France, on Dec. 12 (local time) and decided to inscribe the 'Bangudae Petroglyphs' requested by Korea as a World Heritage Site. The committee noted, 'The realistic paintings based on outstanding observation and the unique composition show the artistry of the people who lived on the Korean Peninsula,' and it praised the petroglyphs as 'a masterpiece that expresses the creativity of prehistoric people with a rare theme capturing various whales and key stages of whaling.'
The recently inscribed Bangudae petroglyphs are a single heritage that includes the national treasure 'Uljū Daegok-ri Bangudae Petroglyphs' and 'Uljū Cheonjeon-ri Inscriptions and Petroglyphs.' Among them, the Bangudae petroglyphs were first discovered in 1971 and feature 312 paintings densely depicted on rocks, depicting humans, animals, tools, and geometric patterns. Notably, the dynamic appearance of whales soaring above the water’s surface, hunters armed with harpoons and nets, and dancing shamans allow for an indirect glimpse of the life and culture of prehistoric times, giving these petroglyphs significant academic value. The nearby Cheonjeon-ri petroglyphs include 625 engravings ranging from Neolithic concentric circles and overlapping diamonds to inscriptions and paintings from the Silla period.
The committee, while making the decision to inscribe the World Heritage, ordered Korea to take measures to preserve the Bangudae petroglyphs. The Bangudae petroglyphs are submerged underwater for about 2 to 3 months each year due to the Sayun Dam, built in 1965. The committee recommended reporting on the progress of the Sayun Dam construction, ensuring the effective operation of the Bangudae World Petroglyphs Center, formalizing the role of the local community in the management system, and providing reports on development plans that may affect the outstanding universal value of the Bangudae petroglyphs.
Meanwhile, President Lee Jae-myung posted on his Facebook after the news of the Bangudae petroglyphs being inscribed as a World Heritage Site became known, saying, 'I warmly welcome this with all the citizens' and added, 'We must ensure that the preservation and management level of the heritage meets international standards and also seek ways to contribute to the local economy.'