Japan and Korea cultural heritage bids advance at UNESCO

· Politics · Japan · South Korea

Japanese calligraphy has been nominated for UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list, NHK reported. South Korea's traditional paper, known as hanji, is set to be inscribed after the evaluation body recommended its inclusion, Yonhap reported. North Korea alone is expected to secure inclusion of taekwondo on the list, with the evaluation body recommending its nomination. The recommendations set the stage for formal approval at the Intergovernmental Committee meeting.

Why it matters：UNESCO listings confer international recognition and can boost cultural tourism, making them a quiet but meaningful form of soft power.

Key points

  • Japanese calligraphy was nominated for the list
  • Hanji paper is set for inscription
  • Taekwondo is expected to be listed through North Korea

Sources (original reporting)

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