Bangudae Petroglyphs under water for month, exposing shoddy World Heritage management

One month after being inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list, the petroglyphs of Bangudae Terrace in the southeastern city of Ulsan are under water and poorly managed, leaving locals and visitors questioning whether the ancient site is living up to its global status. On Aug. 12 in Daegok-ri, Eonyang-eup, Ulsan’s Ulju County, cultural guide Jeong Yun-jeom pointed toward the rock face, now mostly submerged. “See the man looking up at the whale at the very top of the carvings? Only his head is visible above the water,” she said with frustration. The site has been inundated for more than three weeks due to heavy rains, cutting short the expected tourism boost after its World Heritage designation. “Visitors initially surged right after the listing, but numbers dropped back to normal within a week because of flooding,” Jeong said, adding that poor facilities, including inadequate restrooms, make it difficult for visitors to stay long. As of Aug. 12, the water level of the downstream Sayeon Dam stood at 56.7 meters, leaving almost all of the petroglyphs underwater except for the

Read Full Article