Seoul’s project to preserve the historical and cultural landscape of the Bukchon area in Seoul has received the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Award for Culture Heritage Conservation.

It’s the first time for a Korean project to receive the award.

Bukchon is a cluster of traditional Korean-style homes called “hanok” located in the heart of Seoul between the Gyeongbok and Changdoek royal palaces. Seoul city launched the project to preserve and promote hanoks in 2001.

The city has supported the repair of 300 of one-thousand hanok homes in the area. It also purchased 30 homes on the verge of collapse and turned them into traditional cultural facilities.

Since 2000, the Asia-Pacific UNESCO regional office has given the heritage awards to projects that made distinguished achievements in the preservation and restoration of cultural heritage.