지리산의 유네스코 세계유산 등재 전략과 과제

Abstract

Starting in 2007, there has been a movement nationally to register Mt. Jiri as a piece of UNESCO’s World Heritage list, given that is contains sites with rich cultural heritage and is well recognized for being a place of spirituality. The listing of Mt. Jiri as a place of World Heritage as adjudged by UNESCO will be significant in adding an extra facet of Korean culture to the global list, as well as providing a firm international mandate for action to be taken for its preservation. Other significance in any such listing is to the domestic tourist market, through its chance to become an international tourist attraction, boosting Korea’s place as a global tourist powerhouse and enhancing the Korean brand. As part of the preparations necessary for submitting an application for Mt. Jiri to be provisionally listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this study investigates the strategies and challenges required. As Mt. Jiri evinces a shared culture across the three provinces, five cities and counties that constitute the local region, there is found to be no protest or discord that could jeopardize, as contravening UNESCO’s iii, vi, and x listing criteria, the coordination and cooperation in its listing as a World Heritage site. However, in terms of the level of inter-governmental administrative and systematic social integration, issues remain with a general lack of preparation undertaken across municipalities for the application. Such issues are products to the delays suffered in the application for its Natural Protected Area status and for its Man and the Biosphere Programme. There were also delays with the survey undertaken of local resources and the verification of the value of listing Mt. Jiri as a World Heritage Site. Accordingly, prior to the application for registration onto the tentative list of candidates to full UNESCO World Heritage Site status, what is required is to secure national legal protection and natural protected area status for local habitats as part of the application process for its registration on UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme. Concurrently, concrete measures, backed up with resources, should be taken to demonstrate the value of the world heritage on offer locally. Thus, this study recommends the establishment of a National Registration Promotion Committee, consisting of societies linked with Mt. Jiri and related organizations, alongside local residents.