Nine ancient sites for private Confucian academies in South Korea have been included in a temporary list of potential UNESCO World Heritage locations on Tuesday, the government said.

The nine included Dosan Seowon and Byeongsan Seowon, private Korean Confucian academies offering instruction in the classics and honoring prominent scholars with regular memorial rites during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). The two academies are located in Andong, 268 kilometers southeast of Seoul.

Dosan Seowon was established in 1574 by disciples of Yi Hwang, a prominent Korean Confucian scholar, four years after he died. His portrait currently appears on the 1,000 won bill.

Byeongsan Seowon was built in 1614 by Confucian scholars in tribute to Yu Seong-ryong, a prime minister during the Joseon Dynasty in the late 16th century. Yu was a follower of Yi Hwang.

The nine sites were included on the list because they are considered the best preserved out of 637 seowons that exist in the country, the Cultural Heritage Administration said.

Each site put on the temporary list is given the opportunity to apply for the final heritage status one year later, the agency said. 

(Yonhap News)