Hoeamsaji Temple Site receives positive UNESCO preliminary evaluation

The Hoeamsaji Temple Site in Yangju, South Korea, has received a positive preliminary evaluation from the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) regarding its potential inscription as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

ICOMOS conducted a year-long document review and determined that the site likely meets UNESCO criteria II and III. Criterion II recognizes evidence of important cultural exchanges in architecture, technology, or art, while Criterion III identifies unique evidence of a vanished or existing cultural tradition or civilization. The site is recognized as a typical 14th-century East Asian Seon Buddhist monastic archaeological site.

While the evaluation is positive, ICOMOS recommended expanding the site boundaries to include the surrounding landscape and providing more detailed descriptions regarding the meeting of the criteria. In response, the Korea Heritage Service, in cooperation with Gyeonggi Province and Yangju City, plans to prepare a revised application by February 2028. A final decision on the World Heritage status is expected in 2029.