Final tomb unlocked

Hyoreung, the resting place of the 12th ruler of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1913), King Injong, and his consort Queen Inseong, is to open to the public for the first time on Friday. Hyoreung is one of three royal tombs at Seosamneung in Goyang ...

The inauguration ceremony for the public opening of Hyoreung, the resting place of the 12th ruler of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1913), King Injong, and his consort Queen Inseong, is held on Thursday at the site of the tomb in Goyang, Gyeonggi. [YONHAP]

Hyoreung, the resting place of the 12th ruler of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1913), King Injong, and his consort Queen Inseong, is to open to the public for the first time on Friday.

Hyoreung is one of three royal tombs at Seosamneung in Goyang, Gyeonggi. The other two are Yereung, the resting place of King Cheoljong, the 25th ruler of the Joseon Dynasty, and his consort Queen Cheorin, and Huireung, where Queen Janggyeong, the wife of King Jungjong, the 11th ruler of the Joseon Dynasty, rests.

According to the Cultural Heritage Administration, public access was restricted to Hyoreung as the road leading up to it is owned by a dairy cattle center. But after many discussions, the CHA was eventually entrusted with managing that section of land by the center and recently completed repair works to welcome visitors. With the full opening of Seosamneung, the public can now access all 40 Joseon royal tombs of Korea, which were named Unesco World Heritage Sites in 2009. [YONHAP]

BY YIM SEUNG-HYE [yim.seunghye@joongang.co.kr]