Korea Joongang Daily
Korea JoongAng Daily

Jongmyo Shrine to host Unesco-recognized royal ancestral rights ritual on May 3

The most prestigious royal ancestral ritual of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) and a Unesco intangible cultural heritage, the Jongmyo Daeje, will take place on May 3 at the Jongmyo Shrine in Jongno District, central Seoul.

2026-04-16

Experts urge heritage impact assessment for Jongmyo Shrine as tensions over development continue

Heritage experts again called on the Seoul Metropolitan Government to assess the potential impact of a high-rise project near Jongmyo Shrine amid an ongoing dispute between local officials and heritage authorities over the development plan.

2026-03-25

Heritage Service unveils Jongmyo-inspired Unesco World Heritage Committee emblem

The Korea Heritage Service on Wednesday unveiled the official emblem of the 48th session of the Unesco World Heritage Committee in Busan in July, inspired by the roof of Jongmyo Shrine’s main hall.

2026-03-25

Heritage agency slams move to advance high-rise plan near Jongmyo

Korea's cultural heritage agency on Monday reacted sharply to a move by the Seoul municipal authorities to allow high-rise buildings near the historic Jongmyo Shrine, reigniting a bitter feud over the Unesco World Heritage site.

2026-01-26

Seoul gov't slams heritage agency for denying on-site test for Sewoon redevelopment project

Seoul Metropolitan Government expressed regret after the Korea Heritage Service refused to allow it to conduct an on-site test to determine whether constructing a high-rise building is part of the Sewoon District 4 redevelopment project.

2026-01-07

Royal palaces, tombs draw record 17.8 million visitors in 2025

A record 17.8 million people visited royal palaces, tombs and Jongmyo Shrine last year, officials said Monday, as public interest in traditional Korean culture continued to rise.

2026-01-05

Sewoon District 4 residents file damages lawsuit worth $12.5M against government

Residents of Sewoon District 4 in central Seoul, which has been at the center of controversy over claims it mars the Jongmyo Shrine landscape, have filed a damages lawsuit worth 16 billion won ($12.5 million) against the government.

2025-12-29

City, heritage agency hold initial talks on high-rise project near Jongmyo Shrine

Korea's heritage authorities and the Seoul Metropolitan Government have held their first round of preliminary talks to address a growing dispute over a controversial high-rise redevelopment project planned near Jongmyo Shrine.

2025-12-10

Does downtown Tokyo's transformation offer clues to Jongmyo development dispute?

Tokyo's high-rise redevelopment contrasts with Seoul's stalled Sewoon District project near Jongmyo Shrine, highlighting unresolved heritage disputes and inconsistent city policies that hinder progress despite efforts to revitalize the area.

2025-11-28

Clash over Seoul's Jongmyo Shrine pits preservation against urban development

Would new skyscrapers spoil the protected landscape of Jongmyo Shrine, a Unesco World Heritage site in central Seoul?

2025-11-20