The royal tombs of the Chosun Dynasty have made it to the list of UNESCO's World Heritage.
With 40 of the royal tombs that exist in Korea receiving the seal of approval, Korea now officially holds nine World Heritages.
The decision comes after reviewing the unique construction methods of the tombs that reflect Confucianism and geomantic tradition.
Most of these tombs are located in Seoul, Gyeonggi and Gangwon Province.
Many of them retain 5-hundred years of the Chosun Dynasty's past with very little damage, thanks to government measures which prohibit any development near the royal tombs.
Relics from the Chosun Dynasty have caught the interest of the UNESCO committee since 1995 when Chosun's Jongmyo Shrine, or the royal ancestral shrine, became a World Heritage.
Then in 1997 Changdok Palace became a World Heritage because it showed the lifestyle of Chosun's royal family.
The UNESCO committee has highlighted Chosun's tombs as unique compared to neighboring Asian countries like China and Japan.
Unlike artificially constructed tombs in China, Korea's royal tombs harmonize with its natural surroundings, while Japanese royal tombs have a relatively short history.
With many of Korea's past relics being recognized by the international body tourism officials hope this will create some momentum for the nation's tourism industry.
This is only natural, since visitors to Jeju went up 20-percent after the island off the southern coast became UNESCO's World Heritage.
Shin Hae-joo, Arirang News.
JUN 27, 2009
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Friday, SEP 03, 2010, (KST) 
