Gyeongju, a capital city with a history of thousand years is located in an area with rich culture and many historical remains including ones of the Silk Roads. Various protective restrictions, such as the ‘Culture Properties Protection Law’ of Korea, have provoked many conflicts and civil complaints because the Law prevents Gyeongju local residents from developing their lands and real estate.

The National Research Institute of Maritime Cultural Heritage is a governmental organisation responsible for the research of the underwater cultural heritage of Korea. Since the launch as a subsidiary organization of the Cultural Heritage Administration of Korea, the Institute has committed itself to excavations and researches of the Korean underwater cultural heritage.

The Shahid Beheshti University of Tehran, Iran has established the Iranian Research Center on the Silk Roads. The Center is a scientific and academic institution, and a unique academic research center in Iran to focus on the Silk Roads.