Decision 46 COM 7B.40

Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty (Republic of Korea) (C 1319bis)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/24/46.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decision 45 COM 7B.48 adopted at its extended 45th session (Riyadh, 2023),
3. Considering the property’s continued spiritual, symbolic and geomantic characteristics and its living heritage dimensions as an active ritual site, and recalling that the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) is underpinned by the selection of tomb sites based on geomantic principles (pungsu) and, therefore, by key sightlines from the tomb mounds as well as from the visitors’ standpoint,
4. Notes that guidelines for appropriate development in the vicinity of the component parts of the property have been in place since at least 2010;
5. Welcomes the State Party’s progress in implementing the recommendations of the March 2023 Advisory mission to the property, especially the updated spatial information collected about the buffer zone of each component part, encourages the State Party to expand the use of 3D modelling and drone-based monitoring to gather reliable data on building heights, sightlines and other key information to assess the current situation of each component and potential development projects, and invites the State Party to share this good practice example in due course with the World Heritage Centre for further dissemination among World Heritage stakeholders;
6. Reiterates its concern about the Jangneung (W6) component part, especially since the developments’ impacts compromise the component part’s capacity to contribute to the property’s OUV, as illustrated in the previously endorsed Advisory mission report, and notes with concern that the Korea Heritage Service (KHS) lost its appeals of earlier judicial rulings which had already been adjudicated in favour of the three development companies involved;
7. Notes again with concern that housing developments in the wider setting of the component parts may have adverse impacts on the pungsu, and recalls the requirements for impact assessments for major projects within or around a World Heritage property outlined in Paragraph 118bis of the Operational Guidelines;
8. Welcomes the establishment of Standing Advisory Committees involving residents in the vicinity of the component parts and local government officials, and emphasises that the involvement of civil society represents a key opportunity to monitor the 40 tombs that make up this property and could help alert to development initiatives located outside of the KHS’ immediate legal remit;
9. Welcomes the adoption, in October 2023, of the “Special Act on Conservation, Management and Utilisation of World Heritage”, which establishes a national framework for impact assessments, along with the Korean-language translation and dissemination of the Guidance and Toolkit of Impact Assessments in a World Heritage Context;
10. Notes again that Heritage Impact Assessments (HIAs) remain underway for the public housing development projects at Changneung (Seoorung cluster, W1) and Taereung (M3), encourages the State Party to give full consideration to the recommendations of the 2023 Advisory mission in this process, especially concerning the scope of the HIA process and the height of proposed commercial developments, and reiterates its request to the State Party to submit these to the World Heritage Centre upon completion, for review by the Advisory Bodies before any irreversible decision is made;
11. Welcomes the creation of a KHS Task Force to identify measures that would prevent similar unauthorised development from occurring at other component parts or properties, and encourages the State Party to keep the World Heritage Centre informed of its progress;
12. Takes note of the progress accomplished with scheduled building demolitions around the Taereung (M3) and Uireung (M5) component parts and the State Party’s assurances that they will have no negative impact, or even beneficial impacts, on the property’s OUV;
13. Takes note of the State Party’s intention to invite the Reactive Monitoring mission to the property requested in Decision 45 COM 7B.48 in late 2024 to assess thoroughly the overall state of conservation of the property, the cumulative impacts of planned or ongoing housing and commercial developments, their existing and potential impacts on key sightlines from the property, as well as any other factors affecting the property’s OUV at all 18 tomb clusters;
14. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February  2025, a progress report on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 47th session.