President Yoon Suk Yeol attended a Buddhist New Year's gathering Tuesday and pledged to do more to better preserve Buddhist and other religious heritages.

The gathering co-organized by the Association of Korean Buddhist Orders and the Buddhist leaders' forum of the Jogye Order brought together some 800 members of the public, Buddhist leaders, including Jogye leader Ven. Jinwoo, lawmakers and government officials, to mark the 2568th year in the Buddhist calendar.

In congratulatory remarks, Yoon noted the central place Buddhism holds in South Korean culture and thanked the Buddhist community for the important role it has played in preserving and continuing the nation's cultural heritage.

He also said the government will protect Buddhist and other religious heritages more effectively by establishing a new position to handle the job as part of the Cultural Heritage Administration's reorganization in May.

Meanwhile, a new bill calling for preserving and supporting traditional temples was passed by the National Assembly last week, enabling the proper inheritance of Buddhist heritage, he added. (Yonhap)