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Enhancing the Value of World Heritage through Urban Regeneration Busan Metropolitan City Embarks on Full-Scale Efforts to Lift Landscape District Designation around the UN Memorial Cemetery

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Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced today (October 27) that it obtained conditional approval for the “Management Plan for the Landscape District Surrounding the UN Memorial Cemetery” during the regular general meeting of the Commission for the United Nations Memorial Cemetery in Korea (CUNMCK) held on October 23 at the Westin Josun Busan.

The meeting was attended by officials from Busan Metropolitan City, the management office of the UN Memorial Cemetery (UNMCK), and ambassadors from 11 member states of the Commission. Seong Heui-yeob, Vice Mayor for Future Innovation, personally led the on-site tour and presented the city’s proposal.

Participants engaged in in-depth discussions on the historical value of the UN Memorial Cemetery and future development directions for the surrounding area.

Although some commissioners expressed concern that easing development restrictions might undermine the solemnity of the UN Memorial Cemetery, the City effectively persuaded them by presenting a concrete plan to manage the height, scale, and use of buildings through the district unit plan.

Following negotiations, conditional consent was obtained on the premise that the City would divide the area into two zones according to topographical conditions even after the lifting of the landscape district, restrict building heights, and regulate building uses and exteriors to prevent any loss of solemnity. The City also agreed to maintain continuous consultation with the Commission (CUNMCK) during the detailed planning stage.

The UN Memorial Cemetery, the world’s only official UN cemetery, is a global sanctuary where 2,333 soldiers from 14 nations (11 CUNMCK member states and 3 non-member states) who died during the Korean War are interred. It serves as a symbolic and historical space for remembering the sacrifices made for world peace and humanity.

Established in 1951, the cemetery was permanently donated by the Republic of Korea to the United Nations and has since been managed by the CUNMCK in accordance with UN General Assembly resolutions.
Under the 1959 agreement between the Republic of Korea and the United Nations, only non-intrusive uses—such as agriculture or residential purposes—are permitted around the cemetery to preserve its dignity. The area has been designated as a landscape district since 1971. Any modification or relaxation of this designation requires the consent of the Commission.

Since 2021, Busan Metropolitan City has consistently communicated with the Commission regarding the need to reorganize and adjust the landscape district surrounding the cemetery, seeking active cooperation.
From late 2024, the City took the initiative to participate directly in the negotiation process along with local district offices, leading practical discussions and ultimately achieving conditional approval.

Based on this agreement, the City plans to prepare a rational urban management adjustment plan that simultaneously restores urban functions and improves the residential environment, while preserving the dignity and symbolism of the UN Memorial Cemetery.

In particular, alongside the relaxation of the landscape district, Busan will promote an urban plan that integrates management measures for the surrounding area within the framework of urban regeneration, harmonizing world heritage values with citizens’ quality of life.

Nam-gu District Office will begin a consulting service in the first half of 2026 to initiate the urban management planning process, and Busan Metropolitan City will proceed with formal decision procedures in the second half of 2026.
The City also expects this achievement to contribute positively to the improvement of the surrounding urban environment in preparation for the 50th Session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, to be held in Busan in 2026.

Meanwhile, the Commission, while granting conditional approval, expressed its sentiments as follows:
“It is deeply recognized that the Republic of Korea’s economic prosperity and regional development stand as living testimony to the sacrifices made by the veterans interred in the UN Memorial Cemetery. We hope that this plan will further honor their noble spirit.”

Mayor Park Heong-joon concluded, “The UN Memorial Cemetery is a symbol of world peace, and this agreement represents a significant step toward realizing urban regeneration that citizens can experience firsthand, while upholding its dignity. Busan will faithfully fulfill its agreement with the CUNMCK and, through the district unit plan, foster a city where the value of world heritage and residential environment enhancement advance in harmony.”