At the 7th Intergovernmental Committee Meeting for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in Paris, France, on December 5, it was decided to inscribe Korea's traditional folk song "Arirang" to the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The government of the Republic of Korea had made efforts in the past to have "Arirang," one of the Korean people’s indigenous cultural heritages, included on the UNESCO list. The Arirang’s inscription is expected to help increase global awareness of Korean culture and serve to elevate Korea’s status as a cultural state.

With the latest addition, the ROK now has 15 items on the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, including the Royal Ancestral Rite and Ritual Music at the Jongmyo Shrine, "Pansori," “Ganggangsulle” and “Gangneung Danoje.”

The ROK, following its unsuccessful attempt to have "Jeongseon Arirang" added to the UNESCO list in 2009, submitted to UNESCO a revised application to have all regional versions of “Arirang” on the list in a bid to underscore its value as a sentimental symbol of the Korean people.

In its press release regarding the latest addition, UNESCO stated that Arirang is a popular form of Korean folk song that plays a role in strengthening the collective identity and unity among Koreans. According to the application submitted by the ROK, Arirang, when registered as a UNESCO cultural heritage, is expected to contribute to inter-Korea dialogue and exchanges as well as unity among Koreans across the world.

The addition of “Arirang,” which encompasses all its regional versions, comes as it meets all the conditions required under the Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage for its registration as a UNESCO heritage; and the committee's subsidiary body that pre-examines nominations unanimously recommended that it be placed on the list.

The Korean government will further boost its diplomatic activities at UNESCO to include more Korean items on its Intangible Cultural Heritage List in a bid to raise international awareness of Korean culture and contribute to promoting the world’s cultural diversity.