Joseon Dynasty Buddhist paintings depicting the life and teachings of Buddha have become a national treasure.

According to the Korea Heritage Service on Monday, it has designated the paintings Yeongsanhoesangdo and Palsangdo at Songgwanga Temple in Suncheon, South Jeolla Province as a national treasure, 21 years after they were given the lower classification of “treasure” in 2003.

Yeongsanhoesangdo is a painting showing Buddha delivering teachings to a student, while Palsangdo is about historical incidents in Buddha's life covering eight key topics.

The Songgwangsa temple paintings are highly assessed for their value in the history of Buddhist art.

Records on the paintings verify that Yeongsanhoesangdo and Palsangdo were drawn by Ven. Euikyeom and others in 1725 under King Yeongjo.