Digital Restoration of the Heritage Landscape through a GIS-Based Approach: Case Study of the Gochang Dolmen Site in South Korea

Abstract. This study explores how the global emphasis on World Heritage designation often privileges visibly intact and monumental sites, marginalizing heritage that has been destroyed, undocumented, or exists outside official recognition. Focusing on the Gochang Dolmen Site in South Korea—a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000—the research highlights the discrepancy between designated dolmens and numerous non-designated or non-extant megalithic features in the region. Utilizing Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and archival data, the study reconstructs the broader dolmen landscape, including sites that have been displaced, damaged, or erased due to development and environmental change. By converting national heritage data into point-based spatial representations and producing 3D visualizations, the research offers new insights into the relationship between extant and lost sites, encouraging a more integrated interpretation of prehistoric cultural landscapes. This approach aligns with South Korea’s 2022 National Basic Framework Act on Cultural Heritage, which promotes digital technologies for inclusive heritage management. The findings demonstrate the potential of GIS not only to support technical conservation efforts, but also to democratize heritage narratives by reintroducing marginalized or absent features into public memory and discourse. Ultimately, the study argues for a shift from monument-centric heritage frameworks toward landscape-based and digitally-informed strategies that embrace both presence and absence as vital components of cultural heritage.