Busan: The UNESCO World Heritage Committee decided Saturday to expand the boundaries of South Korea's tidal flats on its World Heritage List. The committee supported the expanded inscription of Korean "getbol," or tidal flats, onto the list at its 48th annual meeting in Busan, about 330 kilometers southeast of Seoul.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the newly added heritage areas cover approximately 279.75 square km, with an additional 247.95 square km designated as buffer zones for protection. The expansion includes four additional coastal wetlands located in Seosan in South Chungcheong Province, and Goheung, Muan, and Yeosu in South Jeolla Province. The first set of Korean tidal flats was inscribed on the UNESCO list in 2021 due to its importance as a habitat for biodiversity and as a stopover for migratory birds.
Saturday's decision was anticipated, as the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the advisory body on natural heritage to the World Heritage Committee, had previously recommended the inscription. Sites that receive such recommendations are highly likely to be approved. With the expansion, the UNESCO-listed Korean tidal flats will now be regrouped into six zones, including areas in Boseong, Suncheon, Yeosu, Goheung, Sinan, Tando Bay, Hamhae Bay, Gochang, Seocheon, and Seosan.
South Korea currently boasts 17 UNESCO World Heritage sites, including Seokguram Grotto, Bulguk Temple, and Jongmyo Shrine. Most recently, "Petroglyphs along the Bangucheon Stream," prehistoric rock carvings along the stream in suburban Ulsan, were inscribed last year.
The Seosan tidal flats in Garorim Bay, the northernmost among the newly inscribed areas, are known for hosting around 170 bird species, including endangered black-faced spoonbills and Chinese egrets. The Yeosu tidal flats house six endangered or legally protected wildlife species, while Goheung tidal flats support 726 species, creating a rich ecosystem. Tando Bay flats in Muan, along with nearby Sinan flats, are recognized as vital habitats for waterbirds, and Hamhae Bay is valued for 17 internationally endangered bird species.
The World Heritage Promotion Team of Korean Tidal Flats highlighted that this expansion represents "a process of completing ecological connectivity by linking migratory waterbird flyways and strengthening the overall protection system of tidal flats along the west coast." Huh Min, head of the Korea Heritage Service, hailed the inscription as "a highly meaningful achievement that further strengthens the value of the Korean tidal flats for biodiversity conservation and their integrity."
However, some areas were left out, such as tidal flats in Incheon and Gyeonggi Province, and Ganghwa tidal flats, known as a breeding ground for endangered black-faced spoonbills. Civic groups from Incheon, Busan, and Hwaseong recently held a press conference at the ongoing session of the World Heritage Committee, advocating for a third-phase expansion to include these regions.
When announcing the results of its nomination review in June, the IUCN recommended further analysis of additional Korean tidal flats with "outstanding universal value" for possible future inscription. Huh expressed hope that the latest inscription would promote further international cooperation for the conservation of "the Yellow Sea ecosystem and the East Asian-Australasian flyway for migratory birds."