South Korea wraps up first World Heritage Committee session with 'Busan Declaration,' 28 new inscriptions

The plenary hall of the 48th UNESCO World Heritage Committee [Cultural Heritage Administration]

The 48th UNESCO World Heritage Committee — the first ever held in South Korea — wrapped up its 10-day session Wednesday, leaving behind a string of notable achievements: the Phase 2 expansion of Korea's tidal flats, the inscription of 28 World Heritage sites, and the adoption of the Busan Declaration.

The committee, which opened July 19 at BEXCO in Busan, closed Wednesday afternoon. It was the first such meeting held on Korean soil since South Korea joined the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage in 1988. Delegates discussed a range of issues related to implementing the convention, including new inscriptions, conservation status, sites in danger, international assistance, and improvements to policy and governance frameworks.

28 sites inscribed, bringing World Heritage total to 1,273

The Austrian delegation in discussion during the meeting [Cultural Heritage Administration]

Of the 33 nominations reviewed, the committee approved 28 — 25 new inscriptions (19 cultural, five natural and one mixed), two extensions, and one change of criteria. The final decision report was adopted Wednesday afternoon. The approvals bring the total number of UNESCO World Heritage sites to 1,273 across 173 countries, comprising 991 cultural, 240 natural and 42 mixed sites. Four sites that had initially received deferral or referral recommendations from advisory bodies were ultimately inscribed following advocacy by the nominating states and deliberation among committee members.

Mount Olympus and its wider region in Greece was the session's sole mixed-property inscription. The Medina of the Ancient Sultanates of Comoros, the Boma-Badingilo Migratory Landscape in South Sudan, and Roças of São Tomé and Príncipe each became their respective countries' first World Heritage sites. The inscription of the Medina of the Ancient Sultanates of Comoros was notable for another reason: Comorian President Azali Assoumani attended the decision session in person, marking the first time a head of state had been present at a World Heritage Committee meeting for an inscription decision.

Yeosu tidal flats [Korea Tidal Flats World Heritage Inscription Promotion Group]

Nine sites from the Asia-Pacific region received new inscriptions. Among them, the Getbol, Korean Tidal Flats (Phase 2) was approved for an extended inscription, expanding the serial property to six component sites. The newly added areas include tidal flats in Seosan in South Chungcheong Province and Yeosu, Goheung and Muan in South Jeolla Province. The committee particularly recognized the flats' role as critical habitat along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway and their contribution to the conservation of diverse species.

Also added to the World Heritage List were the Ancient Capital of Asuka-Fujiwara in Japan, the Jingdezhen Traditional Porcelain Industry Heritage in China, and the Xiongnu Elite Burial Mounds in Mongolia. The committee recognized the Ancient Capital of Asuka-Fujiwara as a site reflecting cultural exchange with the Korean Peninsula and the Chinese mainland.

The Uzbekistan delegation celebrates a World Heritage inscription [Cultural Heritage Administration]

The committee also reviewed the conservation status of 148 World Heritage sites. It added three to the List of World Heritage in Danger: the Historic Inner City of Paramaribo in Suriname, the Ancient City of Tauric Chersonese and its Chora in Ukraine, and Tyre in Lebanon. Three additional sites — including the Boma-Badingilo Migratory Landscape in South Sudan, which went through an emergency inscription process — were simultaneously placed on the danger list, bringing the total to 58. The Historic Centre of Vienna in Austria was removed from the list.

On the policy front, the committee adopted a decision on Agenda Item 6C reflecting outcomes from the 2025 Nairobi session. It reviewed progress on implementing the African World Heritage Strategy and adopted a separate World Heritage strategy for small island developing states.

Korea leads adoption of 'Busan Declaration'; committee urges Japan on Sado Mine

World Heritage Committee Chair Lee Byung-hyun (second from right) speaks at a press conference held July 20 at BEXCO in Busan. From left: World Heritage Centre Director Lazare Eloundou Assomo, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Culture Nayef Al-Fayez, Chair Lee, and Cultural Heritage Administration Commissioner Heo Min. [Yonhap]

South Korea steered key agenda items throughout the session, securing outcomes commensurate with its role as host. On the opening day of the plenary, July 20, the Korean delegation led the consensus adoption of the Busan Declaration on World Heritage. The declaration emphasizes "cooperation" as the guiding principle for addressing complex challenges including armed conflict, climate change and development pressure. It proposes adding cooperation as a sixth strategic objective alongside the existing five, and brought digital transformation and its attendant responsibilities into public discourse. South Korea drafted the declaration.

Beyond diplomatic and policy achievements, Korea pressed Japan on follow-up obligations related to its modern industrial heritage sites and the Sado Mine. In opening remarks at the plenary on July 20, the Korean delegation underscored the significance of hosting the committee for the first time and stressed the importance of international cooperation. In closing remarks on the conservation agenda Tuesday, the delegation cited the importance of heritage interpretation strategies and urged Japan to faithfully implement committee recommendations concerning its modern industrial heritage sites.

South Korea's Ambassador to UNESCO Kim Ji-hee speaks at the 48th UNESCO World Heritage Committee on Tuesday. The government again called on Japan to properly convey the history of forced Korean labor at the Sado Mine and other Meiji-era industrial revolution heritage sites. [Yonhap]

On the Sado Mine specifically, the World Heritage Centre and the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) adopted without amendment the decision document they had prepared based on their review of Japan's state of conservation report. UNESCO acknowledged that Japan had taken additional steps on the mine's interpretation and displays beyond what was in place at the time of inscription. However, the committee said the full history of the mine's development — including the forced labor of Koreans — must be addressed comprehensively, and recommended that Japan report its progress to the World Heritage Centre. Japan must submit a follow-up report by Dec. 1, 2027, and the committee will conduct a comprehensive review of Japan's implementation at the 50th session in 2028.

The next session, the 49th World Heritage Committee, will be held in Istanbul, Turkey, from June 27 to July 7, 2027.

terry@heraldcorp.com