SEOUL, July 7 (Yonhap) -- The upcoming UNESCO World Heritage Committee session in Busan will serve as a national heritage festival, heritage authorities said Tuesday, with various side events planned to engage global visitors.
The 48th session of the World Heritage Committee will be held in Busan, some 330 kilometers southeast of Seoul, from July 19-29, marking the first time South Korea has hosted the meeting since joining the World Heritage Convention in 1988.
The gathering is expected to bring together some 3,000 participants from its 196 member states, as well as international organizations and non-governmental entities. The committee discusses and decides on matters related to the inscription, conservation and management of World Heritage sites.
The Korea Heritage Service said it will operate a "Korea Pavilion" at the Busan Exhibition and Convention Center (BEXCO), the venue of the meeting, alongside various side events across the city, featuring exhibitions, immersive media installations and film screenings to highlight the value of Korea's World Heritage sites and broaden public access to traditional culture.
A poster for the 48th session of the World Heritage Committee, provided by the Korea Heritage Service (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
A total of 35 institutions will run 45 exhibition and hands-on booths at the pavilion, offering programs centered on the national cultural heritage.
Among the main displays is a themed exhibition on "Korea and UNESCO," introducing 17 World Heritage sites in South Korea, including Hwaseong Fortress, Namhansanseong and Sansa, the Buddhist mountain monasteries, as well as Korean sites on the tentative list.
An immersive media art exhibition titled "Heritage: Timeless Time" will feature a 9-meter-tall media installation designed to showcase Korean heritage in a large-scale visual format.
Additional exhibits will include a space dedicated to Yeongsanjae, a Buddhist ritual inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list, and a pavilion hosted by the Busan metropolitan government.
Outside BEXCO, the Busan Cinema Center -- home to the annual Busan International Film Festival -- will screen travel-themed films featuring UNESCO World Heritage sites.
The Busan Museum will also hold a special exhibition examining the historical significance of documentary heritage, featuring items from UNESCO's Memory of the World register and Korea's royal archives.
A poster for the 48th session of the World Heritage Committee, provided by the Korea Heritage Service (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)