Goheung County, Yeoja Bay Mudflat on the Verge of World Heritage Listing

Second Phase Application Passes Completeness Check

Goheung County, South Jeolla Province (Governor Gong Youngmin) announced on the 10th that the application for the second phase inscription of the Korean Tidal Flats World Heritage, which includes the Goheung Yeojaman tidal flat and was submitted to UNESCO through the Cultural Heritage Administration, has passed the completeness check by the UNESCO World Heritage Centre.

The completeness check for the World Heritage inscription application is a process to review whether the application meets the formal requirements. Once this is passed, the full-scale evaluation for World Heritage inscription proceeds. If the application does not pass, it is returned.

- Mudflat and fish trap in Namyang Seonjeong Village, Goheung. Provided by Goheung County

The application for the 'Korean Tidal Flats Phase 2' inscription newly added the Goheung, Yeosu, and Muan tidal flats in South Jeolla Province and the Seosan tidal flat in South Chungcheong Province to protect and enhance the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the heritage. Additionally, the buffer zones for the Seocheon, Gochang, and Boseong-Suncheon tidal flats, which were included in the first phase inscription, have been expanded to fully encompass the migratory range and habitats of waterbirds.

The 'Korean Tidal Flats Phase 2' inscription application, which has passed the completeness check, will undergo document review, on-site inspection, and comprehensive discussion evaluation by the advisory body, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), from this month until the first half of 2026, in accordance with Article 140 of the 'Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention.' The final decision on inscription is expected to be made at the 48th session of the World Heritage Committee scheduled for July 2026.

An official from the county stated, "We will continue to actively cooperate with the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, the Cultural Heritage Administration, South Jeolla Province, and the Korean Tidal Flats World Heritage Inscription Promotion Foundation to ensure that the Goheung Yeojaman tidal flat is ultimately inscribed as a World Heritage site."