National Heritage Administration Announces Open Call for Candidate Cities to Host UNESCO World Heritage Committee Meeting

Decision on Korea's Bid to Be Made in Paris in July

The National Heritage Administration announced on May 15 that it will hold an open call to select candidate cities to host the UNESCO World Heritage Committee meeting in Korea next year. Local governments can submit proposals and other required documents until June 5.

The UNESCO World Heritage Committee is an intergovernmental body that decides on the inscription, conservation, and protection of World Heritage sites, in accordance with the World Heritage Convention adopted in 1972. Korea was elected as a member of the World Heritage Committee in November 2023 and has since contributed to the development of the World Heritage system.

The National Heritage Administration has long been working to attract the event. By collaborating with the city selected through this open call, the administration plans to showcase cultural and economic capabilities and successfully host the meeting. An official stated, "On June 10, we will select two cities through the first round of proposal presentations and evaluations, conduct on-site inspections, and then make the final selection of the candidate city by the end of next month."

The decision on whether Korea will host the UNESCO World Heritage Committee will be made at the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee, which will be held in Paris in July.