National Heritage Director Heo Min: 'Intertidal Wetland Conservation Is Not a Single Nation's Responsibility, but an International Community's Shared Task'

Following the 48th UNESCO World Heritage Committee's final approval of the second-phase inclusion of 'Korea's Intertidal Wetlands,' an international joint statement on the conservation of the Yellow Sea coastal wetlands was announced in Busan. The National Heritage Agency, along with UNESCO and the World Coastal Forum (WCF), hosted a side event seminar titled 'The Transnational Journey of Migratory Birds' at Busan's BEXCO. The event immediately followed the approval of the expanded inclusion, aiming to discuss transboundary cooperation strategies for the conservation of the Yellow Sea wetlands and the East Asia-Australasia Flyway (EAAF) migratory bird routes. Director Heo Min emphasized the significance of the expanded inclusion of nine local wetlands, calling the Yellow Sea wetlands a transnational collaborative space spanning South Korea, North Korea, and China. He stated that World Heritage status is not a single nation's responsibility, and wetland conservation is a shared international task. Lazarus Eloundou Asomo, Director of UNESCO's World Heritage Centre, praised South Korea's achievements, noting the case exemplifies a model for strengthening World Heritage's value. The event's key outcome was the adoption of the Busan Declaration on the Conservation of the Yellow Sea and Coastal Wetlands, the first practical implementation of the World Heritage Busan Declaration's commitment to 'collaboration.' Participants agreed to enhance technical cooperation, standardize ecological monitoring, and jointly research invasive species control and climate adaptation strategies. They also plan to build a collaborative network among local governments, site managers, and experts to establish a 'Common Regional Framework' and develop educational materials to raise public awareness.