SEOUL, November 5 (AJP) - The traditional Korean art of making hanji or handmade paper has moved closer to being included on UNESCO's list of intangible cultural heritage.
In a notice released on Wednesday, UNESCO said its evaluation body reviewed 59 nominations for the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and recommended all of them for inscription. They include South Korea's hanji, which covers the "traditional knowledge and skills" of making hanji as well as "related cultural practices."
The final decision is expected at the 21st session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, which will take place in Xiamen, China from Nov. 30 to Dec. 5.
If approved, hanji-making traditions will become South Korea's 24th entry on the list. The country currently has 23 recognized cultural heritages, with its most recent addition being the culture of making jang, traditional fermented sauces and pastes, which was listed in 2024.
Hanji is traditional Korean paper made from the bark of paper mulberry trees. Making it is a time-consuming process that involves steaming and peeling the bark, breaking it down into fibers and carefully spreading them into thin sheets before drying.
The tradition dates back about 1,000 years and has been passed down through generations of artisans, with villagers often working together to collect and prepare the materials. This shared process has helped preserve the tradition and strengthen ties within local communities.
Meanwhile, North Korea's solo bid to have taekwondo added to the list was also recommended for inscription.
If approved, the martial art would become North Korea's sixth entry on the list, joining existing ones such as folk song Arirang, kimchi-making, Pyongyang naengmyeon or cold noodles, and traditional clothing customs. Ssireum or traditional Korean wrestling, was jointly inscribed by the two Koreas in 2018.
South Korea had sought a joint inscription of taekwondo with North Korea, but strained inter-Korean relations have made such efforts difficult.
"South Korea would continue pursuing recognition for taekwondo, either through a separate application or by expanding the inscription to include South Korean practitioners, even after North Korea's listing is approved," said Heo Min, head of the Korea Heritage Service, expressing regret that a joint listing had become difficult despite continued efforts.
In a notice released on Wednesday, UNESCO said its evaluation body reviewed 59 nominations for the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and recommended all of them for inscription. They include South Korea's hanji, which covers the "traditional knowledge and skills" of making hanji as well as "related cultural practices."
The final decision is expected at the 21st session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, which will take place in Xiamen, China from Nov. 30 to Dec. 5.
If approved, hanji-making traditions will become South Korea's 24th entry on the list. The country currently has 23 recognized cultural heritages, with its most recent addition being the culture of making jang, traditional fermented sauces and pastes, which was listed in 2024.
Hanji is traditional Korean paper made from the bark of paper mulberry trees. Making it is a time-consuming process that involves steaming and peeling the bark, breaking it down into fibers and carefully spreading them into thin sheets before drying.
The tradition dates back about 1,000 years and has been passed down through generations of artisans, with villagers often working together to collect and prepare the materials. This shared process has helped preserve the tradition and strengthen ties within local communities.
Meanwhile, North Korea's solo bid to have taekwondo added to the list was also recommended for inscription.
If approved, the martial art would become North Korea's sixth entry on the list, joining existing ones such as folk song Arirang, kimchi-making, Pyongyang naengmyeon or cold noodles, and traditional clothing customs. Ssireum or traditional Korean wrestling, was jointly inscribed by the two Koreas in 2018.
South Korea had sought a joint inscription of taekwondo with North Korea, but strained inter-Korean relations have made such efforts difficult.
"South Korea would continue pursuing recognition for taekwondo, either through a separate application or by expanding the inscription to include South Korean practitioners, even after North Korea's listing is approved," said Heo Min, head of the Korea Heritage Service, expressing regret that a joint listing had become difficult despite continued efforts.
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