Cultural Heritage Administration Promotes Four Measures for Integrated Preservation Management System
"Prepare Registration Application Based on Basic Research Results, Submit in 2023"
A council will be established to preserve and manage the 15th UNESCO World Heritage site in Korea, the "Korean Tidal Flats (Seocheon, Gochang, Sinan, Boseong~Suncheon tidal flats)." Basic research will also begin to promote the second phase of expanded registration.
On the 27th, the Cultural Heritage Administration announced that it will pursue four major measures to establish a full-fledged integrated preservation management system and promote the second phase of expanded registration. The first is the operation of the "Korean Tidal Flats World Heritage Preservation Council." Local residents, local governments, and experts will cooperate in accordance with the spirit of the UNESCO World Heritage Convention to preserve and manage the "Korean Tidal Flats." The existing "Korean Tidal Flats World Heritage Registration Promotion Team" will be converted into the "Korean Tidal Flats World Heritage Integrated Preservation Management Team." Starting next year, it will be responsible for research, regular inspections, utilization, and promotion. The second is a government subsidy of 2 billion KRW. After designating and announcing the heritage area and buffer zone as a World Heritage district to define the scope of support and protection, protection measures for tidal flats and migratory birds and convenience facilities for visitors will be established. A "Five-Year Comprehensive Plan for World Heritage Preservation, Management, and Utilization" will also be announced within the year. Based on this, local governments will establish and announce an "Implementation Plan for the Preservation, Management, and Utilization of the Korean Tidal Flats," including tourism revitalization and education and promotion measures. A Cultural Heritage Administration official said, "Regular inspections to protect the outstanding universal value of the 'Korean Tidal Flats' will be conducted annually starting next year," adding, "We will conduct ongoing inspections of development activities around the World Heritage site to respond to the periodic UNESCO regular reports."
The third measure is the development of various programs to spread value and revitalize tourism. Through World Heritage festivals, World Heritage media art, and other utilization programs, more people will be supported to enjoy and appreciate the site. Additionally, a basic plan will be established to promote the value and beauty of the four major tidal flats, and videos and other materials will be produced. The fourth is the promotion of the second phase of expanded registration. Following the recommendation of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, nine additional tidal flats will be added to the "Korean Tidal Flats" by 2025. A Cultural Heritage Administration official stated, "Based on the results of basic research next year, we plan to prepare the registration application and submit it to UNESCO by 2023." He further explained, "After receiving an on-site inspection from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), UNESCO's advisory body, in 2024, the final decision on the second phase tidal flats' registration will be made at the 48th World Heritage Committee in 2025."
The Cultural Heritage Administration will hold a registration commemorative ceremony marking a new beginning at 2 p.m. on the 27th at the lawn square of Sinan County Office. Kim Hyun-mo, the head of the Cultural Heritage Administration, will celebrate the registration achieved through proactive administration and express the commitment to protect the four major tidal flats and promote additional registrations.
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