• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.6-20
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• 2023

The World Heritage Subcommittee of the Cultural Heritage Administration which examine The World Heritage Subcommittee of the Cultural Heritage Administration which The World Heri The World Heritage Subcommittee of the Cultural Heritage Administration which examined the Placenta Chamber of King Sejong's Princes applied for the world heritage priority list in 2020 recommended expanding it to the royal placenta chambers of Joseon distributed nationwide for successive registration instead of registering the Seongju placenta chamber only. On account of that, the issue of selecting items has become one of the important topics to be discussed in the registration of world heritages. Accordingly, this researcher investigated the subjects of successive registration based on such conditions as excellent universal value, heritage protection and management, authenticity, and completeness among the real estate cultural properties demanded by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee. First, 22 placenta chambers, the real estate cultural properties designated as cultural properties and protected and managed by the state and local governments, are subject to it. Second, it seems that placenta chambers that can be restored through research and historical investigation and become designated as cultural properties can additionally be added. Third, items such as the Seosamneung Royal Tombs built by Lee Wang-jik in the Japanese colonial era or Seongjong Placenta Chamber relocated as an example to realize the completeness of Joseon's Royal Placenta Chambers can be included as well. Meanwhile, many of the items designated as cultural properties are not in the original location, and they can be divided into those that were relocated for the intentions of the Japanese Empire and those that were not. Therefore, the researcher insists that it is necessary to select and add items with which we can understand the historicity in the relocation of placenta chambers during the Japanese colonial era and also to quickly designate those that have not been designated as cultural properties yet. Therefore, regardless of designation as cultural heritage, local governments must promote both restoration and designation and strive to include them in the list of successive registration of world heritages grounded on thorough historical investigation. Moreover, to add them to the list of successive registration of world heritages, the Cultural Heritage Administration and local governments should promote continuous research and genuine restoration of individual placenta chambers.