Gochang Dolmen Site [UNESCO World Heritage]

About this place

Dolmens, the representative tomb type of the Bronze Age, are known to be distributed in more than 30,000 examples across Korea, with a dense concentration along the southwestern coastal regions including South and North Jeolla provinces. As of 2003, 2,632 dolmens in 424 clusters were recorded in the Jeonbuk region. Gochang county alone—based on 2023 surveys—accounts for more than 65% of Jeonbuk's dolmens, with 1,748 examples confirmed. The Gochang Dolmen Site, distributed in clusters across Jukrimri, Sanggamri, and Dosanri, was inscribed as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site in December 2000. It forms the largest single cluster of dolmens in Korea and features table-type, go-board type, and capstone-only type dolmens all in one location. The presence of a quarry site that reveals the dolmen construction process also makes it important evidence for clarifying the history of dolmen development in Northeast Asia. The World Heritage Committee recognized its value under criterion III (unique or exceptional testimony). Gochang has developed several walking courses totaling several kilometers to allow visitors to experience the dolmens as they were 3,000 years ago.