By The Straits Times | Created at 2026-07-25 08:50:24 | Updated at 2026-07-25 11:59:41
3 hours ago
SEOUL - UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee on July 25 approved the expansion of South Korea’s “getbol”, or tidal flats, adding four new coastal areas to the World Heritage List during its annual session in Busan.
The inscription expands the site, first listed in 2021, from four to six components with the addition of tidal flats in Seosan, South Chungcheong province, and Goheung, Muan and Yeosu in South Jeolla province.
The four original tidal flat properties are listed as the Boseong-Suncheon Getbol, the Shinan Getbol, the Gochang Getbol and the Seocheon Getbol. The tidal flats of Goheung and Yeosu are to be grouped together with the Boseong-Suncheon Getbol, while the Seosan and Muan tidal flats will be listed separately, bringing the number of unique properties to six.
UNESCO said the sites’ “complex combination of geological, oceanographic and climatological conditions (has) led to the development of coastal diverse sedimentary systems”.
One of the world’s largest and most productive tidal flat ecosystems, the site hosts high levels of biodiversity, with reports of 2,150 species of flora and fauna, including 22 globally threatened or near-threatened species. It is home to 47 endemic and five endangered marine invertebrate species.
The site also provides critical habitats for a total of 118 migratory bird species, according to reports.
Many coastal communities continue to rely on the area’s marine resources through traditional harvesting practices.
The decision came during the 48th session of the World Heritage Committee, hosted by South Korea for the first time since joining the World Heritage Convention in 1988. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
