1. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, together with the Cultural Heritage Administration and the Korean National Commission for UNESCO, held a “Seminar on the 30th Anniversary of Korea’s Accession to the UNESCO World Heritage Convention” at Lotte Hotel Seoul on May 2.

° In his opening remarks, Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun attached significance to the Seminar held in celebration of the 30th Anniversary of Korea’s Accession to the UNESCO World Heritage Convention; shared with the other participants the Republic of Korea’s contribution to the efforts to advance the Convention; and spoke of the ROK’s plan to play a leading role in the field of world heritage.

° The Vice Minister, bringing renewed attention to the pledge the Japanese government made to the international community at the time of the inscription of the country’s Meiji industrial sites on the World Heritage list in 2015, stressed that should a particular heritage be related to painful history of neighboring countries and people’s past experiences, a comprehensive interpretive strategy should be implemented to embrace all the parties concerned, and urged Japan to make good on its pledge with sincerity and as soon as possible. 

※ At the 39th session of the World Heritage Committee (WHC) in July 2015, when the statement of decision was adopted on the inscription of Japan’s Meiji industrial sites, Japan, mentioning that Koreans and others were forced to work at the sites, announced its plan to establish an information center and incorporate other appropriate measures into the interpretive strategy for remembering the victims.

2. The Seminar brought together 11 international experts in world heritage and delegates from 13 out of the 21 WHC member states for in-depth discussions on the progress in the implementation of the World Heritage Convention and challenges; and the Convention’s way forward and future strategies.

° In particular, the Seminar featured the first-ever presentation on the findings of the study titled “Sites of Memory: International Coalition of Sites of Conscience,” which the ROK had conducted through the UNESCO World Heritage Centre to develop an interpretive strategy on heritage -- heritage, like Japan’s Meiji industrial sites, that is perceived differently by different individuals and/or communities.

3. The ROK, by successfully hosting the third international meeting on interpretation of world heritage, has consolidated its leadership in discussions on world heritage. Held ahead of the 42^nd WHC session slated to come in Bahrain from June 24 till July 2, the Seminar is seen to have served as an opportunity to further enhance cooperative ties with WHC member states and relevant experts.

° The ROK government offered the visiting delegates from WHC member states and international experts an opportunity to visit the inter-Korean demilitarized zone (DMZ) and such cultural heritage sites as mausoleums of Joseon Dynasty kings and Changdeok-gung (palace) in a bid to help them better understand Korean history and culture.

※ The ROK hosted the first meeting on interpretation of world heritage in Seoul in November 2016, followed by the second in Seoul in November 2017; and held and will hold side events during the 40^th session of the UNESCO WHC in Istanbul in July 2016, its 41^st session in Krakow in July 2017 and its 42^nd session in Bahrain in June 2018.

* unofficial translation