"Success in Hosting UNESCO World Heritage Meeting in Busan Next July"...Healing from Expo Hosting Failure
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- 2025-07-16 06:11:33
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- 2025-07-16 06:11:33
The first hosting in Korea, the only applicant in the world
Presidential Office: "A historic moment to promote Korea"
Presidential Office: "A historic moment to promote Korea"
[Financial News] Busan will host the UNESCO World Heritage Meeting, attended by over 3,000 people from 196 countries worldwide. It is the first time Korea has hosted since joining the convention in 1988, 38 years ago. After the host country selection was confirmed, the presidential office stated, "It will be a historic moment to promote the Republic of Korea."
The UNESCO World Heritage Committee selected Korea as the host country for the 48th World Heritage Committee in 2026 at a meeting held at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France, on the 15th (local time).
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Busan was the only applicant worldwide for next year's World Heritage Meeting, effectively securing the final host city selection just before UNESCO's announcement. Unlike the previous Yoon Suk-yeol administration, which failed to host the Expo despite investing billions of won and mobilizing national diplomatic power, it easily succeeded in hosting the UNESCO World Heritage Meeting.
The World Heritage Meeting has been held in Asia in places such as Phuket, Thailand (1994), Kyoto, Japan (1998), Suzhou, China (2004), Fuzhou, China (2021, held online), Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, Cambodia (2013), and New Delhi, India (2024).
About 3,000 people, including representatives from 196 World Heritage Convention countries, the UNESCO Secretary-General, academic experts, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), attend the meeting.
The World Heritage Meeting also selects endangered heritage and decides on major policies related to heritage. At the World Heritage Meeting held in Paris this month, Mount Kumgang and the Bangudae Petroglyphs in Ulsan were listed as World Heritage sites. Additionally, an attempt to formally adopt the issue of 'non-implementation of measures related to forced labor on Hashima (Battleship Island) in Japan' as an official agenda was thwarted after a vote. The Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs has officially expressed regret.
The city of Busan is reviewing plans to hold the meeting from July 19 to 29 next year. BEXCO is a strong candidate for the venue. However, due to various variables, including the summer rainy season, the final schedule will be determined after discussions.
The UNESCO World Heritage Committee meeting lasts for 18 days, unlike other international meetings, which typically last around five days. The economic and cultural ripple effects of those staying in Busan during this period are significant.
Choi Eung-cheon, Director of the National Heritage Administration, promised in his acceptance speech, "I will make all preparations to ensure that the World Heritage Committee held in Busan can successfully proceed, reaffirming the responsibility for the heritage shared by all humanity."
The presidential office announced through a briefing by spokesperson Kang Yoo-jung on the 16th, "This is the first time the UNESCO World Heritage Committee is held in our country, and it will be a historic moment to promote the Republic of Korea to the world."
