The fossilized skeleton of a ceratopsian dinosaur found in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province in 2008 has been designated as a natural monument.

The announcement by the Cultural Heritage Administration regarding the "Koreaceratops hwaseongensis" marks the first time that a fossilized skeleton of a dinosaur, not a footprint or fossilized egg, has been given such a designation.

Upon being located by a civil servant during a cleanup near a seawall at Jeongok port in Hwaseong, paleontologists confirmed that it was a new type of ceratopsian found in the country.

It was discovered almost completely intact, with nearly all of the bones of the animal's lower half positioned in their proper place, and provided an indication that the suborder of herbivores existed on the peninsula during the early Cretaceous period some 120 million years ago.

Experts believe the dinosaur was likely two-point-three meters long and walked on two legs. The fossil is on display in Hwaseong while local officials have also created a three dimensional replica of the full skeleton that has proven to be an invaluable scientific resource.