Tensions have escalated between the Seoul city government and the Cultural Heritage Administration regarding the redevelopment of high-rise buildings in front of Jongmyo Shrine, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Recently, the Seoul Housing and Communities Corporation (SH Corporation) was caught undertaking illegal drilling activities in the Seoun 4 district without the necessary permits. During an emergency press briefing, the Cultural Heritage Administration announced that it had reported SH Corporation to the police for violating the laws surrounding the protection and investigation of buried heritage sites.

According to current laws, the Seoun 4 area is recognized as a zone containing buried heritage that has not yet undergone a preliminary excavation investigation, making it illegal to proceed with development without administrative completion. After conducting an on-site investigation on the 13th, the Cultural Heritage Administration ordered an immediate cessation of all ongoing changes to the site and the withdrawal of heavy machinery that had been brought in by SH Corporation. Violations of the buried heritage law carry penalties of up to ten years in prison or fines of up to 100 million KRW for altering the conditions of confirmed or under-investigation buried heritage sites.

Furthermore, the Cultural Heritage Administration revealed that it received a stern letter from the UNESCO World Heritage Center regarding the Jongmyo Shrine on the 14th. In this letter, UNESCO emphasized that if the Seoul city government continues to enforce the redevelopment in the Seoun district despite previous warnings, it could have extremely negative implications for the World Heritage status of Jongmyo Shrine. The ongoing developments underscore the critical need for balancing urban development with the preservation of cultural heritage sites, reflecting a broader dialogue about sustainability and heritage conservation in urban planning.