‘Suncheonman Gaetbeol’ Confirmed as UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site

Suncheon City, the First City in Korea to Possess Both World Natural and Cultural Heritage
Suncheonman Tidal Flat Preserved by Citizens Hopes to Deliver a Message of Peace to the World

[Suncheon=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Hyung-kwon] Suncheonman Bay Wetland (Scenic Site No. 41) has been listed as the 15th UNESCO World Heritage site in Korea.

On the 27th, Suncheon City announced that UNESCO held the 44th World Heritage Committee in Fuzhou, China the day before and finalized the registration of "Korea's Tidal Flats," applied for by Korea, as a World Natural Heritage site.

This achievement marks the first time in 14 years since 2007's "Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes" that a domestic site has been registered as a World Natural Heritage.

The Boseong-Suncheonman Bay Wetland, newly registered as a World Natural Heritage site, is the final destination of the tidal flat sediments journey that began at the Geum River, showcasing widely developed salt marshes and outstanding halophytic plant communities.

It is also the largest wintering site for the Hooded Crane, a vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List, and is home to 25 internationally rare bird species including the Yellow-billed Spoonbill, as well as over 220 bird species, making it a tidal flat of significant biological value.

To preserve the ecological value of Suncheonman Bay, since the late 1990s, the city has formed a public-private-academic governance with citizens, continuously expanding habitats by undergrounding and removing utility poles and implementing the Hooded Crane Hope Agricultural Complex project.

As a result of efforts to raise awareness of the value of these wetlands, Suncheon was certified as a Ramsar Wetland City in 2018, and the entire city was designated as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

With the registration of "Korea's Tidal Flats" as a World Natural Heritage site, Suncheon City has become the first World Heritage city in Korea to possess both World Natural and Cultural Heritage sites, alongside Seonamsa Temple, which was registered as a World Cultural Heritage site in 2018.

Being listed as a World Heritage site increases international recognition and interest, which is expected to boost local economic revitalization through increased tourism revenue, and under the convention, the city will receive financial and technical support necessary for heritage protection through specialized organizations.

Above all, as a unique heritage that all humanity must protect and preserve together, the brand value will rise, and the city's status and local residents' pride are also expected to increase.

Mayor Heo Seok of Suncheon said, "The history of preserving Suncheonman Bay Wetland, started by the citizens of Suncheon, is approaching 30 years. The pure efforts of citizens who wanted to preserve the ecology have accumulated layer upon layer like tidal flats, creating 'Suncheonman,' the identity and greatest asset of Suncheon." He added, "We will continue to work hard to ensure that this precious natural heritage is safely preserved and managed, and through Suncheon's ecological environment where humans and nature harmonize, we will deliver a message of peace to the world."