The construction of the "National Natural Heritage Institute," a dedicated research facility for Korea's natural heritage such as natural monuments and scenic sites, is being pursued.
The Korea Heritage Service (KHS) announced Wednesday that the National Natural Heritage Institute construction project had passed the preliminary feasibility study conducted by the Ministry of Strategy and Budget. The institute will be built on Eulsukdo island in Saha-gu, Busan, on a site of 50,000 square meters with a total floor area of 22,969 square meters (three stories above ground and one below). Basic design will begin in 2027, with completion targeted for 2031 and an official opening in 2032. The total project cost is 119.3 billion won, the largest among construction projects the KHS has undertaken to date.
Once completed, the National Natural Heritage Institute is expected to establish itself as the country's only dedicated natural heritage agency and a key hub for research, preservation, and utilization, comprehensively performing functions including: academic surveys and research of natural heritage and related technology development; conservation and management that addresses habitat management and disaster response; the collection, management, and preservation of natural heritage specimens along with storage and exhibition for public enjoyment; and education and international exchange to cultivate specialized personnel and advance World Natural Heritage inscription projects.
The institute is also expected to strengthen natural heritage preservation and management as well as public enjoyment functions by linking with cultural and tourism infrastructure within Busan's Eulsukdo, such as the Nakdong Estuary Eco Center, the National Youth Ecology Center, and the Busan Museum of Contemporary Art, while achieving synergy effects that also serve as a driving force for regional growth.
"The construction of the National Natural Heritage Institute will be an important turning point in establishing Korea's natural heritage preservation system," KHS Administrator Huh Min said. "We will strive for a successful construction so that it can fully function as a control tower that researches, preserves, and utilizes the Korean Peninsula's precious natural heritage, shares it with the current generation, and passes it on to future generations."
