Chungju, South Korea – Chungbuk Province has announced plans to promote its rich Catholic heritage as valuable cultural assets and pursue UNESCO World Heritage status. The province has conducted a comprehensive survey of Catholic-related historical sites and architectural assets, identifying nine holy sites and 41 buildings over 50 years old.

Notable examples include Baeron Sanctuary, Namsanggyo House Site, Chungju Supgeori Martyrdom Site, Batti Martyrdom Site, and Cheongju Nae-deokdong Cathedral. The historic Gamgok Church in Eumseong County has been designated as a tangible cultural heritage of Chungbuk Province, while Cheongju Nae-deokdong Cathedral and Cheongju Sudong Church are recognized as future heritage assets of Cheongju City.

The province believes that these sites, with their stunning natural landscapes and profound religious significance, offer significant potential for tourism development. Chungbuk plans to develop cultural tours and healing pilgrimage routes centered around these Catholic heritage sites.

"Catholic heritage in Chungbuk not only serves as historical evidence but also showcases the exchange between East and West," said a provincial official. "We will continue to register Catholic churches and other architectural assets as modern cultural heritage."

The province aims to collaborate with neighboring provinces such as Chungnam, Jeollabuk-do, and Gyeongbuk to pursue the inscription of Catholic heritage sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Additionally, Chungbuk is working to elevate the status of Tapdong Yangguan, a significant Protestant heritage site and a tangible cultural heritage of the province, to a nationally designated historic site. The province is also actively identifying and preserving Buddhist cultural assets, such as the Hyonwangdo and Seonjong Yusimgyeol at Junghwasa Temple in Yeongdong County, which were recently designated as tangible cultural properties of Chungbuk Province.

"Catholic heritage aligns with the current trend of valuing healing, relaxation, and travel," said the official. "We will leverage the unique characteristics of our religious cultural resources, including Catholicism, Protestantism, Confucianism, and Buddhism, and integrate them into our cultural tourism initiatives."

By promoting its diverse religious heritage, Chungbuk Province aims to attract tourists seeking spiritual experiences and cultural enrichment.