Changdeok-gung (Palace) in Seoul June 2007 definitely is a special month that will be remembered in Korea as it is the time when UNESCO recognized the value of three Korean natural heritages. On June 27, UNESCO placed natural ations on Koreas southernmost resort island of Jeju on the World Heritage List. It is the first time a Korean natural heritage site was added to the list. Prior to this, on June 14, the U.N. agency included two sets of artifacts important to Koreas ary heritage in UNESCOs Memory of the World Register, namely the royal archive of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) and Buddhist artifacts -- including the Tripitaka Koreana printing woodblocks and miscellaneous Buddhist ures of the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392). The Memory of the World program, aimed at preserving valuable archive holdings and library collections worldwide, is the latest initiative by UNESCO and was launched in 1992 after the definition of heritage broadened. UNESCO has been recognizing the worlds heritages since 1972. The World Heritage Committee looks for things having outstanding universal value to humanity. As of today, the list includes 833 properties, including 644 cultural and 165 natural. As of 2007, Korea already has seven items designated by UNESCO as World Cultural Heritage. The list includes the Jongmyo Shrine and Changdeok-gung (Palace) in Seoul; Bulguksa (Temple) and the Seokguram Grotto in Gyeongju; as well as Hwaseong Fortress in Suwon; Haeinsa Temples Janggyeong Panjeon; and the Gochang, Hwasun and Ganghwa Dolmen Sites. And Korea now has its World Natural Heritage as Jejudos most famous volcanic craters and lava tubes were recently added to the prestigious list. UNESCO said the natural properties are of outstanding aesthetic beauty and also bear testimony to the history of our planet. Jejus property has become Koreas first World Natural Heritage, but it could have been Mt. Soraksan. Back in 1995, Korea tried to make the Mt. Soraksan National Park a UNESCO World Natural Heritage. However, citizens around the region strongly opposed the plan, saying it would hinder development once the area was designated a site for preservation. Citizens won and the Korean government withdrew its plan. But this time, citizens on Jeju Island supported the application, which is seen as a sign that Koreans are changing their perception about the nature from something that they can make money from to something that they need to preserve. The country now has eight items waiting to be uated as UNESCO World Heritage.
