South Korea to help preserve Machu Picchu

South Korea will assist Peru with the preservation of Machu Picchu, an Inca-era stone citadel nestled in the eastern Andes Mountains in the South American country.

The latest official development assistance project will start in 2026, with the Korea Heritage Service currently seeking interagency agreement as required by law before initiation.

The state-run agency has been providing ODA to mainly countries in Asia, such as Laos and Cambodia, later expanding to Uzbekistan in 2020 and Egypt in 2023.

The aid in Egypt involves the agency-run Korea National University of Heritage setting up a center within the Manial Palace and Museum in Cairo that will house digital replicas of key cultural heritage artifacts at six state-run institutions in the Egyptian capital.

“The ODA project with Peru will further help expand Korea's ODA reach to the Americas and make the country lead by example by contributing to the preservation and utilization of UNESCO World Heritage Sites,” the KHS said.

The Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu was named a World Heritage Site in 1983 by UNESCO.