SEOUL — North Korea’s application to list Taekwondo as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage is expected to receive a "recommendation for inscription," making its official recognition all but certain later this year.

Heo Min, Administrator of the Korea Heritage Service (KHS), shared via social media on November 2 that Pyongyang’s submission, titled "Traditional Martial Art of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea - Taekwondo," is anticipated to gain the green light from UNESCO’s evaluation body. Historically, recommendations issued by the evaluation panel are rarely overturned at the final committee stage.

Diverging Bids from the Two Koreas

North Korea officially submitted its application in March 2024. Meanwhile, South Korea explored the possibility of a joint submission before independently filing its own bid this March under the title "Taekwondo: The Dojang Communal Practice and Culture in Korea." Earlier this year, the KHS had stated its intention to pursue a joint inter-Korean inscription.

However, Administrator Heo expressed deep regret that prevailing inter-Korean relations and structural constraints made a joint bid practically unfeasible at this time. He recalled the historic 2018 joint inscription of traditional Korean wrestling (ssireum), which remains a rare and successful example of inter-Korean cultural cooperation. Pyongyang currently holds five UNESCO intangible cultural heritages, while Seoul boasts 23, with the most recent addition being "Korean traditional sauce-making (jang culture)" in 2024.

Ensuring Preservation Beyond National Borders

Addressing concerns over North Korea securing sole inscription first, Heo emphasized that a UNESCO listing does not grant exclusive rights to a single country.

"The UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage system is designed to respect cultural diversity and human creativity while protecting and passing down universal cultural values shared by humanity," Heo noted. He added that the South Korean government will continue its efforts—either through an "extended inscription" to merge with the existing listing or via a separate independent application—though the process will likely take time.

Other Korean Cultural Heritages in the Spotlight

While the path for Taekwondo requires a long-term approach, other elements of South Korean heritage are making headway. Heo announced that South Korea's bid for "Traditional Knowledge, Skills, and Social Practices of Hanji Crafting" is also expected to receive an official recommendation for inscription this year. Additionally, the cultural significance of "Ginseng Culture: Knowledge, Skills, and Sociocultural Practices" is scheduled for review in 2028.

The official evaluation results are set to be announced from UNESCO headquarters in France, with the final decision on inscription to be finalized at the 21st session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, to be held in Xiamen, China, this December.

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