백제고도(공주·부여·익산)의 보존과 세계문화유산 등재

Abstract

The contemporary Korean society has reached the stage where it can upgrade its national status one step further in cultural aspect to comply with its increased economic force. In this context, each autonomous local government has been endeavoring to build up its own cultural identity and to develop touristic goods as part of attempts to promote its dignity and competitiveness by making use of cultural heritages. Preservation and development of ancient capitals and their designation as world cultural heritages to discuss in this paper are some of the projects aimed at preparing for the 21st century when culture is expected to become a major force in competition. Gongju, Buyeo and Iksan, capital cities of Baekje Kingdom, were all designated in 2004 as ancient capitals together with Gyeongju of Shilla Kingdom, and are currently administered under the “Law for Preservation and Subsidy of Ancient Capitals”. Since 2006, a movement was initiated in each of these three regions to be designated as the world cultural heritage respectively and, from 2011 onwards, a unified effort has undergone to have the three regions designated as a world cultural heritage under the name ‘Baekje Cultural Heritage’. In order to complete the project of preservation and development of ancient capitals successfully,it seems necessary to consult experts in a wide spectrum and to draw concerns from not only the residents of the surrounding communities but also all the people across the country. Besides, it is also needed to make efforts to comprehensively reflect the identity and historical as well as cultural messages the ancient capitals might present in the progress of the project. The first and most important step for designation as world cultural heritages would be to select the candidates for them. In this connection, cultural heritages of Gongju, Buyeo and Iksan as ancient capitals should be examined to determine the historical and cultural characteristics and features of Baekje since its middle age. It is therefore foremost essential to reveal completeness and genuineness of the relics remaining from ancient capitals in these regions by exploring their complementary relationship with one another. It should be remembered, lastly but not least, that the project of preservation and development of ancient capitals and designation as world cultural heritages should neither be an end itself nor be politically victimized. It should instead be labored to make use of the project as a medium to create a place of communication and unity for the residents, encouraging them to become well aware of the real value of cultural heritages they have. In this sense, the approach toward the project in a genuine manner could be the only way to hand over to our descendents the cultural heritages in undamaged shape and state.