PPP slams government over North Korea's likely solo UNESCO listing of taekwondo

The People Power Party on Saturday criticized the government after a UNESCO advisory body recommended listing taekwondo as an intangible cultural heritage under North Korea's name, asking, "Must we defer to North Korea even to protect South Korea's own cultural heritage?"

Party Spokesperson Ham In-gyeong issued a statement that day, saying, "What on earth has the government been doing while standing by and watching?"

Ham said the Cultural Heritage Administration's response was "even more baffling," noting that a civic group had asked the agency to forward a letter to UNESCO ahead of the evaluation results explaining the case for a joint South-North listing of taekwondo. "The Cultural Heritage Administration said it had sent the letter, but the group claims it was never actually delivered," Ham said.

"If true, this goes beyond mere negligence — it is an act of deceiving the public," Ham said, calling for the agency to clarify whether the letter was sent and explain the circumstances.

Ham also said the government "must clearly explain South Korea's position on taekwondo's history and legitimacy to the international community," adding that "the government that failed to properly protect even the national sport must be held accountable before the people for its irresponsibility and incompetence."

The advisory body under UNESCO's Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage recently issued a "recommend" decision on North Korea's application to list "traditional martial art taekwondo of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea" — a ruling that effectively guarantees inscription. Taekwondo is set to become North Korea's sixth entry on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, following Arirang, kimchi-making, ssireum wrestling (jointly listed with South Korea), Pyongyang naengmyeon and traditional Korean clothing customs.

After North Korea submitted a solo application for taekwondo in 2024, South Korea filed its own application in March in hopes of securing a joint listing, but that prospect has effectively collapsed.

The final decision on this year's inscriptions will be made at the 21st session of the Intergovernmental Committee, to be held in Xiamen, China, from Nov. 30 to Dec. 5.