Global Economic Times

Jeju Stone Wall Building Designated as Intangible Cultural Heritage... A Challenge for UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, Too: Global Economic Times Reporter / Updated : 2025-09-19 13:24:43

Jeju Province announces that "Jeju Stone Wall Building," a traditional construction method using stones, will be designated as a Jeju Intangible Cultural Heritage. The province plans to use this designation as a stepping stone to challenge for UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

According to Jeju Province, the designation of "Jeju Stone Wall Building" was approved by the Provincial Intangible Cultural Heritage Committee and will be officially announced on September 22.

"Jeju Stone Wall Building" is a traditional stone-laying technique developed by Jeju residents as they adapted to the natural environment of the island.

Living on the volcanic island of Jeju, residents used the scattered stones for various purposes such as housing, agriculture, livestock farming, fishing, and defense. Common examples include jipdam (house walls), batdam (field walls), and olledam (path walls).

A notable feature of Jeju's stone walls is that they are built with natural stones without the use of soil or cement. In particular, they are built with gaps, called "wind paths," between the stones to withstand strong winds.

The stone wall building technique is still passed down by dolchaengi (Jeju dialect for stonemason) in various parts of Jeju.

The Provincial Intangible Cultural Heritage Committee recognized the high value of "Jeju Stone Wall Building" as an intangible heritage due to its historical significance, representativeness, and sustainability, noting it is an architectural style adapted to the natural environment and is transmitted through a community-centered approach.

The designation was made for the community as a whole, without recognizing a specific holder or group. This is because the technique is not a customary practice limited to a specific region of Jeju but a traditional skill practiced throughout the island.

The province announced that it will pursue the inscription of the Jeju stone wall building technique on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list. The province has been holding various academic seminars since last year to promote the value of stone walls worldwide.

Go Jong-seok, head of the Jeju World Heritage Headquarters, said, "Jeju stone wall building is a culture that contains Jeju's identity, with regional characteristics and diverse techniques remaining. We will strive to inscribe the Jeju stone wall building technique on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list so that it can be widely known throughout the world, beyond just South Korea."