National Institute of Natural Heritage to Be Established on Eulsukdo Island in Busan

Targeting Opening in 2032
Largest Construction Project by the Cultural Heritage Administration

Korea's only dedicated research facility for natural heritage will be established on Eulsukdo Island in Busan.

A bird's-eye view of the National Institute of Natural Heritage.

The Cultural Heritage Administration announced on July 8, 2026, that the National Institute of Natural Heritage construction project has passed the preliminary feasibility study by the Ministry of Economy and Finance.

The National Institute of Natural Heritage was conceived by the Cultural Heritage Administration as it reorganized the national heritage management system in May 2024 to separately manage cultural heritage, natural heritage, and intangible heritage. The need for specialized research, curation, and utilization functions to proactively address issues such as the climate crisis in the field of natural heritage led to this project being prioritized.

The preliminary feasibility study by the Korea Development Institute began in December 2024, and on July 7, 2026, the project scored above the passing threshold of 0.5 in the comprehensive policy assessment by the Fiscal Investment Evaluation Committee of the Ministry of Economy and Finance.

The building will be located on a 50,000 square meter site on Eulsukdo Island, Saha-gu, Busan, with a total floor area of 22,969 square meters. The basic design phase will begin in 2027. The goal is to complete construction in 2031 and open in 2032. The total project budget is 119.3 billion won, making it the largest construction project of its kind to date.

Planned Site for the National Institute of Natural Heritage Construction.

Once opened, the facility will serve as a core hub for the research, preservation, and utilization of natural heritage, undertaking activities such as academic research, habitat management, disaster response, specimen collection and preservation, training of specialists, and supporting the inscription of World Natural Heritage sites. By linking with local institutions such as the Nakdong River Estuary Eco Center, the National Youth Ecology Center, and the Busan Museum of Contemporary Art, it will also help expand the region's cultural infrastructure.

Heo Min, Administrator of the Cultural Heritage Administration, stated, "This marks a significant turning point in establishing a preservation system for natural heritage," adding, "We will strive to make this institution a control tower for researching, preserving, and utilizing the natural heritage of the Korean Peninsula and passing it on to future generations."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.