Changdeokgung Palace in Seoul inscribed on UNESCO World Heritage List

In December 1997, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, meeting in Naples, Italy, added Changdeokgung Palace in Seoul to the World Heritage List. The decision came in the same year as the inscription of Hwaseong Fortress in Suwon, and it followed the 1995 listing of Jongmyo Shrine, the royal ancestral shrine in Seoul.

Changdeokgung was built in the early 15th century as a secondary royal residence of the Joseon dynasty (1392–1910). It was burned during the Japanese invasions of the 1590s and rebuilt in the early 17th century. It then served for long periods as the main seat of government and the king's home. Its main entrance, Donhwamun, dates from that rebuilding and is regarded as the oldest surviving palace gate in Seoul.

UNESCO recognised the palace as an outstanding example of East Asian palace architecture. Unlike the strictly symmetrical layout of Gyeongbokgung, the main palace, its buildings follow the natural contours of the land. The rear garden, known as Huwon or the Secret Garden, is a notable part of this design. The listing raised the palace's international profile and brought obligations for its long-term conservation and repair.