South Korea is seeking to add records of the 1894 Donghak Peasant Revolution and the April 19th Revolution in 1960 to the UNESCO Memory of the World Register.
                     
The Cultural Heritage Administration announced Wednesday a plan to apply for the UNESCO registration in March next year.
 
The April 19th Revolution was a massive pro-democracy uprising that led to the collapse of President Rhee Syng-man’s authoritarian government. The records demonstrate the development process and legacies of the nationwide protests.
 
The 1894 Donghak Peasant Revolution was an armed rebellion against the upper class’ maladministration and corruption by enraged peasants and followers of the Donghak religion. Its records include testimonies from royal court officials, rebel forces and civilian counterinsurgents as well as documents left by the Japanese legation.
 
The administration explained that the 1960 revolution testifies to South Korea’s successful democratization while the 1894 movement symbolizes the pursuit of justice and equality, and an event that led to the collapse of traditional Confucian social order.  
 
UNESCO’s International Advisory Committee will decide on whether to add the South Korean candidates to the register in a conference in 2019.
 
Currently, South Korea has 13 historical and cultural assets on the UNESCO list and one item on an Asian-Pacific register.