Climate Change Impact on Korean Stone Heritage: Research Trends and Prospect

Abstract

Studies on vulnerability of cultural heritage and adaptation strategy to worldwide climate change have been actively carried out in advanced countries since the late 20th century, and this established a valid research methodology and piled up climate and deterioration dataset in the field of climate change. Meanwhile, we still have tasks to acquire related scientific data despite referencing political researches in Korea. Applying Korean future climate to impact analysis, deterioration of Korean stone heritage is likely prospected to change into complexity in terms of physical, chemical and biological weathering that may bring impacts on conservation business and administrative field of cultural heritage. Further studies will ensure detailed implication of climate change impact on Korean stone heritage by means of down-scaling analysis of areas to local scale and dataset frequency to an hour. It is important to sort out capability and vulnerability of the stone heritage to future environment, and to make an adaption and prevention strategies.

Weathering features of a five-story stone pagoda compared to its quarrying site in Geumgolsan Mountain, Korea

“…The long-term weathering features by rock type are the basis for understanding the natural weathering mechanism of stone heritages. However, stone heritages undergo changes from their original form not only because of natural weathering but also because of environmental impacts (Vidal et al 2019), climate change (Kim 2016; Zhang et al 2019), structural deformation (Jo and Lee 2016; Kim et al 2021), and intentional damage (Gomes et al 2017). In this context, Fookes et al (1971) emphasized the importance of understanding the short-term weathering resistance and damage potential of rocks for conserving the original forms of stone heritages.…”