Seoul: South Korea will donate 5 billion won (US$3.65 million) to support UNESCO’s efforts to preserve and promote intangible cultural heritage around the world, the country’s heritage agency said Saturday.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the Korea Heritage Service announced that it signed a framework arrangement with UNESCO in Paris on Friday. This agreement is to contribute to the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund under the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Under this agreement, the agency will contribute 1 billion won annually over the next five years. This donation will support UNESCO’s project to create an online platform to share best practices for safeguarding intangible cultural heritage.

This initiative marks the first time South Korea has established a separate fund for a UNESCO project related to intangible heritage. Currently, South Korea has 23 items on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, ranking fourth among the 184 states that are party to the convention. China leads the list with 39, followed by Turkey with 28 and France with 26.

During his trip to Paris, Korea Heritage Service Commissioner Choi Eung-chon met with Ernesto Ottone Ramirez, UNESCO’s assistant director-general for culture. Choi emphasized the importance of South Korea hosting the 2026 plenary session of the World Heritage Committee. The venue for this meeting is expected to be determined in July.

Additionally, South Korea is seeking to become a member of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage for the 2026-2030 term, as stated by the agency.