Korea seeks host city for 2026 Unesco World Heritage Committee Session

Date：2025-05-16

Seolleung, located in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, is a state-designated Historic Site and one of 40 royal tombs from the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910) that were granted Unesco World Heritage status in 2009. It is the burial site of King Seongjong, the ninth ruler of Joseon, and his wife, Queen Jeonghyeon. [NEWS1]

The Korea Heritage Service is accepting applications from local governments until June 5 to select a candidate city to host the 48th session of the Unesco World Heritage Committee in 2026.

The committee is an intergovernmental body that meets annually to decide on major matters related to the inscription, preservation and protection of World Heritage sites under the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, adopted in 1972.

Unesco adds Korea's post-war reforestation campaign to Memory of the World Register

Archives on Jeju April 3 Uprising, Korea's postwar reconstruction inscribed on Unesco register

Korea was elected as a member of the committee in November 2023.

The service plans to promote Korea's cultural and economic capacities and pursue hosting the session by cooperating with the cities selected through this public contest, according to the agency.

Interested local governments must submit proposals and required documents via official correspondence by June 5. The service will select two candidate cities through a first-round presentation and evaluation on June 10.

A final candidate city will be chosen at the end of June, following on-site inspections in mid-June.

The decision on whether Korea will host the session with the selected host city will be announced at the 47th session in Paris this July, according to the Korea Heritage Service.

BY KIM MIN-YOUNG [kim.minyoung5@joongang.co.kr]