UNESCO World Heritage Committee opens in Busan for first time in Korea

The UNESCO World Heritage Committee convened in Busan on Sunday for the first time in Korea, opening a forum for international cultural cooperation and heritage preservation amid global crises including war and climate change.

The Cultural Heritage Administration and UNESCO held the opening ceremony of the 48th UNESCO World Heritage Committee at BEXCO in Busan at 6 p.m. Sunday. President Lee Jae-myung, UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Anany, Cultural Heritage Administration Commissioner Heo Min and Busan Mayor Jeon Jae-soo attended. The ceremony proceeded through an official reception, a pre-event program, a special performance and a welcome reception. During the pre-event program, attendees toured the Korea Pavilion (K-Heritage House), a promotional exhibition hall created to mark the hosting of the World Heritage Committee.

The opening ceremony’s special performance, themed “A Roof Embracing the Sky, a Resonance Connecting Generations,” opened with a gate-opening performance by Gyeongbokgung Palace guards and featured contemporary reinterpretations of traditional dances including ilmu, sintaepyeongmu and ganggangsullae. G-Dragon, the committee’s official promotional ambassador, appeared during the performance to deliver a message of peace. Taking the stage, he said, “Protecting heritage is not merely about preserving the past — it is about building peace for the future,” and added, “I hope the small wishes for world heritage protection that begin here in Busan will blossom into a great peace that connects the entire world.”

As of Sunday morning, 2,929 participants from 155 countries had registered for the 48th World Heritage Committee. In his congratulatory address, President Lee welcomed delegations from around the world and stressed the importance of dialogue and international cooperation through culture and heritage in an era of conflict and division. He pledged that Korea would use the “power of culture” to connect the world and lead peace and cooperation alongside UNESCO.

President Lee noted that “it is no coincidence that the UNESCO World Heritage Committee is being held in Korea this year, the 150th anniversary of the birth of Baekbeom Kim Gu.” He said the spirit of the UNESCO Charter — that “the defenses of peace must be constructed in the minds of men” — “points to exactly the same place as the insight of Kim Gu, who sought to realize peace through culture and lead humanity toward harmony.” He closed his address by saying, “We will stand in solidarity with the world and build a more peaceful and prosperous future for humanity together with UNESCO,” and expressing hope that “this meeting will become a new milestone for world heritage protection and international cooperation.” UNESCO Director-General El-Anany expressed gratitude for Korea’s contributions to hosting the World Heritage Committee and to the World Heritage Convention.

The UNESCO World Heritage Committee runs through July 29. Throughout the event, the Korea Pavilion will operate in Exhibition Hall 1 at BEXCO, where various institutions will showcase Korea’s national heritage through exhibitions, events and performances. The pavilion is open free of charge to all domestic and international visitors to BEXCO during the event period. The Cultural Heritage Administration plans to work with relevant agencies to ensure the event proceeds safely through the closing ceremony on July 29.

Committee sessions chaired by President Yi Byung-hyun are set to open Monday at 10 a.m. Cultural Heritage Administration Commissioner Heo Min is scheduled to deliver an opening address on behalf of the host country that morning, expressing hope that the committee will serve as a forum for cooperation in charting the path forward for the World Heritage Convention in response to global crises.

Heo is expected to highlight the grave threats facing world heritage sites — including destruction from war and damage from climate change — and to call again for international solidarity and cooperation, drawing a parallel to the global effort that once united nations to save Egypt’s Abu Simbel temples from submersion. He will also emphasize that Korea, having evolved from a recipient of international cooperation to a contributor, will continue to serve as a bridge for cooperation and solidarity among nations in the field of heritage.

Meanwhile, to mark the hosting of the committee in Busan, the Cultural Heritage Administration and UNESCO jointly produced and distributed a “World Heritage Magazine” featuring stories of Korea’s world heritage sites and a special edition “World Heritage Map” showing the locations of heritage sites around the globe — both available in Korean, English and French. Further details can be found on the UNESCO World Heritage Centre website.