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| ▲ The 47th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee is underway at UNESCO headquarters in Paris on July 15, 2025. (Yonhap) |
SEOUL, July 16 (Yonhap) -- The UNESCO World Heritage Committee, the highest decision-making body in the field of world heritage, will be held in South Korea for the first time next year.
The 48th session of the World Heritage Committee is scheduled to take place in July 2026 in Busan, the Korea Heritage Service said Wednesday.
The decision to designate South Korea as the host country was made at a meeting held on the 15th (local time) at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France.
"It is a great honor to host the 48th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in Busan, Republic of Korea," said Choi Eung-chon, head of the Korea Heritage Service, in his acceptance speech.
Choi emphasized that Korea has steadily contributed to the World Heritage Fund and strengthened its practical support for the international community in the protection of heritage. “We will make thorough preparations so that the committee in Busan reaffirms our shared responsibility for humanity’s heritage and proceeds successfully,” he said.
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| ▲ Choi Eung-chon (C), head of the Korea Heritage Service, and the South Korean delegation applaud after the country was selected as the host of the next session during the 47th UNESCO World Heritage Committee meeting at UNESCO headquarters in Paris on July 15, 2025. (Yonhap) |
The World Heritage Committee is a central international meeting that discusses the inscription, conservation, and protection of sites deemed to have Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) for all of humanity. It also selects endangered heritage sites and determines key policies related to heritage preservation.
The Korean National Commission for UNESCO explained that the committee is “the most important decision-making body in operating the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage,” which was adopted in 1972.
The committee, composed of 21 member states elected at the General Assembly, typically meets between June and July each year. Since the first session in Paris in 1977, the committee has convened in several Asian cities, including Phuket, Thailand (1994); Kyoto, Japan (1998); Suzhou (2004) and Fuzhou, China (2021, held online); Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, Cambodia (2013); and New Delhi, India (2024).
Korea joined the convention in 1988 and will host the meeting for the first time in 38 years.
The event is expected to bring together around 3,000 participants, including representatives from 196 signatory countries, UNESCO’s director-general, scholars, and experts from NGOs. In addition to the main session, a variety of side events will be held to share the latest developments and best practices in world heritage preservation and management.
Lee Hwa-jong, a research professor at Hanyang University Museum and an expert in world heritage affairs, noted the significance of the event, saying it will serve as “an opportunity to showcase Korea’s role and cultural capabilities within the World Heritage framework.”
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| ▲ Choi Eung-chon, head of the Korea Heritage Service, speaks with Ernesto Ottone Ramirez, UNESCO assistant director-general for culture, about South Korea’s hosting of the next World Heritage Committee meeting at UNESCO headquarters in Paris on July 15, 2025 (local time). (Yonhap) |
Next year’s session is expected to be held in mid-July. The 46th session in New Delhi, India, ran from July 21–31, 2024, and the ongoing 47th session, which began on July 6, will conclude on July 16. The Korea Heritage Service and Busan Metropolitan Government are currently reviewing a proposal to hold the session from July 19–29, with BEXCO in Busan considered a likely venue. However, the final schedule will be confirmed after reviewing potential variables such as the summer monsoon season.
The committee’s chairperson, who will preside over next year’s session, has not yet been appointed. According to the Rules of Procedure, the chair is responsible for moderating discussions and granting speaking rights, typically a role filled by a cultural expert. The Korea Heritage Service plans to elect the chair and organize the bureau as soon as possible.
“We will do our utmost to ensure the successful hosting of the 48th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, in cooperation with relevant ministries, the city of Busan, and field experts,” an official from the Korea Heritage Service said.
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