Permanent Delegation of the Republic of Korea to UNESCO

about Us

Introducing the Permanent Delegation of the Republic of Korea to UNESCO
The Permanent Delegation of the Republic of Korea to UNESCO, as the representative of the Korean Government, actively participates in the activities of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. We are working closely with the UNESCO Secretariat in order to better reflect our position and to contribute to the improvement of education, sciences and culture of the world. The Permanent Delegation of the Republic of Korea to UNESCO contributes towards the realization of the Organization’s goal of ‘building peace in the minds of people’.

Education
We provide national institutions’ cooperation in major programmes related to the literacy, Global Citizenship Education(GCED), TVET(Technical and Vocational Education and Training), ICT in education, ESD(Education for Sustainable Development) etc.
We are actively engaged in the 'SDG4-Education 2030; ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all'.

Natural Sciences
We provide cooperation in the field of water resources, ocean sciences, earth sciences, natural disaster reduction and basic sciences.
We support the participation in major intergovernmental committees such as the IHP (International Hydrological Programme), MAB (Man and Biosphere Programme) and IOC (Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission).

Culture
We cooperate closely with WHC (World Heritage Center) for the inscription of (cultural and natural) world heritage, documentary heritage as well as the intangible heritage.
We provide national institutions’ cooperation for the implementation of the UNESCO’s major Conventions in the field of protection of tangible and intangible heritage, restitution of cultural property and promotion of cultural diversity.

Other services
Maintaining close cooperation with other Delegations to UNESCO Participation in Standard-Setting of UNESCO’s main fields of work Organizing various Korean cultural events for the Member States and Secretariat

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Summary
The Organization, considering education as one of UNESCO’s principal fields of activities, provides technical supports to eradicate illiteracy and to promote education of international understanding as well as reinforcement of capability of member states. It also conducts educational work through various networks.
One of top priorities of UNESCO’s Education Sector includes Education for All (EFA), and another priority determined by goals adopted by the UN and UNESCO includes the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014).

Main Projects
Education for All At the World Education Forum (Dakar, 2000), 164 governments pledged to achieve EFA and identified six goals to be met by 2015 against poverty and for a better life.
Three core initiatives for Education for All
LIFE: The Literacy Initiative for Empowerment
EDUCAIDS: The Global Initiative on Education and HIV/AIDS
TTISSA: Teacher Training Initiative in Sub-Saharan Africa
EFA Global Monitoring Report is an annual publication that monitors progress toward a set of targets to which over 160 countries committed themselves in 2000.
The UN Literacy Decade 2003-2012 UNESCO leads the United Nations Literacy Decade (UNLD) under the slogan of “Literacy as Freedom The UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development 2005-2014
UNESCO leads the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development 2005-2014 (DESD) in order to highlight its key role in education for sustainable development.
Establishment of educational networks Founded in 1953, the UNESCO Associated Schools Project Network (ASPnet), commonly referred to as UNESCO Associated Schools, is a global network of more than 9000 educational institutions in 180 countries
Today, 695 UNESCO Chairs and 68 UNITWIN (University Twinning and Networking Programme) Networks in 128 countries provide an innovative modality for international academic cooperation Operation of UNESCO institutes and centers Six institutes including International Bureau of Education (IBE) and two centers more than two work as part of UNESCO’s Education Programme to assist countries to tackle challenges in education

Summary
The Natural Sciences Sector supports development of science and technology in developing countries, promotes international cooperation in science in the interests of peace, shares ideas and information regarding environmental problems, practices efficient use of resources for sustainable development, and precedes various projects to reflect on science, technology, and ethical problems.
Today, the Natural Sciences Sector implements major international programmes in the freshwater, marine, ecological, earth and basic sciences, and natural disaster prevention while at the same time promoting national and regional science and technology polices and capacity building in the sciences, engineering and renewable energy such as Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB)

Main Projects

Freshwater
The International Hydrological Programme (IHP) operates as a global network that works together to implement the organization’s strategic goals. Its work is built on three tracks including hydrological science for policy relevant advice, education and capacity building responding to the growing needs of sustainable development and water resources assessment and management to achieve environmental sustainability.
Twenty-six agencies of the UN system cooperate through the World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP) to provide an ongoing global assessment of the state of the world’s freshwater resources. Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB)
By focusing on 564 sites in 109 countries recognized within the World Network Biosphere Reserves, the MAB Programme develops the basis within the natural and social sciences for the rational and sustainable use and conservation of the resources of the biosphere and for the improvement of the overall relationship between people and their environment. Ocean
UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) coordinates ocean observation, monitoring, hazard mitigation, and capacity development through the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) in order to understand and effectively manage the resources of the ocean and coastal areas.
Republic of Korea as a permanent state member of the International Oceanographic Commission 2007-2009

Earth Sciences
The IGCP is a cooperative enterprise of UNESCO and the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS). With the cooperation of IUGS and scientists from more than 150 countries, the Organization is doing research on improving mineral and groundwater resources extraction and reducing damage from natural disasters in underdeveloped countries.

Disaster Prevention
As a part of United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR), the Organization contributes to the minimization of damage from natural disasters and promotes ways to prepare for floods, education related to disaster risk reduction into school curricula, and plans for managing disaster in megacities.
Coasts and Small Islands The Organization promotes efficient use of coasts in small islands.

Basic Sciences
The International Basic Sciences Programme (IBSP) is an international multidisciplinary programme established by UNESCO Member States whose projects are carried out in the field of mathematics, physics, chemistry, biotechnology.
Renewable Energy Through Global Renewable Energy Education and Training (GREET) Programme, the Organization carries out projects that promotes importance and effectiveness of renewable energy such as solar energy for underdeveloped countries.

Summary
The social and human sciences have a vital role to play in increasing understanding and communication between cultures and civilizations for philosophical and ethical study on the problems that humans face as well as for a fundamental end to conflicts, violence, and terror between different ethnic groups or between religions.

Main Projects

Ethics
UNESCO continues to build and reinforce linkages among ethicists, scientists, policy-makers and civil society to assist Member States in enacting sound and reasoned policies on ethical issues in science and technology. UNESCO pursues its ethical mandate in the two primary work areas of Bioethics and Ethics of Science and Technology.
In 1998, the Organization established The World Commission on the Ethics of Scientific Knowledge and Technology (COMEST) which is mandated to formulate ethical principles that could provide decision-makers with criteria that extend beyond purely economic considerations (such as drinking water, energy, ethical guidelines for information society, environment, sustainable development, space development, etc).
The International Coalition of Cities against Racism is an initiative launched by UNESCO to establish a network of cities interested in sharing experiences in order to improve their policies to fight racism, discrimination, xenophobia and exclusion

Social Transformation
The Management of Social Transformations (MOST) Programme is the only UNESCO programme that fosters and promotes social science research on international migration, cultural policy, urban policy, etc.

Philosophy
UNESCO’s Philosophy Day (Every third Thursday in November since 2002) allowed this institution to celebrate, in particular, the importance of philosophical reflection, and to encourage people all over the world to share their philosophical heritage with each other.
UNESCO has the pleasure to announce the creation of the Website of the International Network of Women Philosophers, an information portal available to women philosophers throughout the world and to other friends of philosophy.

Physical Education and Sport
UNESCO is the United Nations’ lead agency for Physical Education and Sport (PES) composed of 18 countries.
In 2005, the Organization adopted International Convention against Doping in Sport at UNESCO general meeting. To date, more than 140 countries have become States Parties to the Convention.

Summary
An international treaty called the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage was adopted by UNESCO in 1972 to encourage the identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world.
UNESCO coordinates actions of its partners by administering the World Heritage Convention (1972) in order to discover world heritage that is worth being preserved, to protect it, and to improve it.

Main projects
Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage
Adopted on November 23, 1972; entered into force on December 17, 1975
193 States Parties have adhered to the Convention as of January 13, 2017
Republic of Korea entered into State Parties in September 1988 with effect from December, 1988.
The General Assembly of States Parties to the Convention meets during the sessions of the General Conference of UNESCO.
Function: The General Assembly determine the uniform percentage of contributions to the World Heritage Fund applicable to all States Parties, elects new members to the World Heritage Committee to replace the outgoing members and receive a report from the World Heritage Committee on its activities.

World Heritage Committee
The World Heritage Committee meets once a year, and consists of representatives from 21 of the States Parties to the Convention elected by their General Assembly in every June or July. A Committee member's term of office is for six years.
Function: The Committee is responsible for the implementation of the World Heritage Convention, defines the use of the World Heritage Fund and allocates financial assistance upon requests from States Parties.
Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Adopted on 17 October, 2003; entered into force on 20 April, 2006.
Republic of Korea ratified on 2 September, 2005

Major contents
Introduction of Urgent Safeguarding List and Representative List
Incorporation of the items proclaimed “Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity” in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity Participation of communities, groups and, where appropriate, individuals that create, maintain and transmit such heritage, and to involve them actively in its management.
Establishment of Intergovernmental Committee and Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund International cooperation and assistance to protect intangible heritage The States Parties shall submit to the Committee reports on the legislative, regulatory and other measures taken for the implementation of this Convention.
Intergovernmental Committee for Promoting the Return of Cultural Property to its Countries of Origin or its Restitution in case of Illicit Appropriation Set up in 1978 by the resolution 20 C4/7.6/5 at the 20th Session of the UNESCO General Conference of UNESCO

Objectives
To open up of new opportunities for countries directly involved in conflicts regarding return of cultural property that cannot be applied to international convention and recommendation for resolutionsTo create international cooperation to promote return of cultural property to its countries of origin.
The return and restitution committee comprises 22 Member States, which meet every two years and can also organize extraordinary sessions.

Main projects
Review and recommendation for the request of return of cultural heritage: It provides a framework for discussion and negotiation Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions 2005 was held on future strategies and Draft Rules of Procedure on Mediation and Conciliation.
Effective cooperation with INTERPOL, a series of Basic Actions concerning Cultural Objects being offered for Sale over the Internet has been compiled and published International regulations regarding return of cultural property 1954 Hague Convention, 1954 Protocol, 1999 Second Protocol focusing exclusively on the protection of cultural heritage in the event of armed conflict The 1970 Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property.
A Convention on Stolen or Illegally Exported Cultural Objects has been created by UNIDROIT (International Institute for the Unification of Private Law) in 1995.

Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions Adopted on 20 October, 2005; entered into force on 20 April, 2006. Republic of Korea ratified on 1 April, 2010
The promotion of cultural diversity is central to the Organization’s mandate with the purpose of maintaining cultural identity (cultural products and services do not only have industrial value but also cultural value) and preserving cultural diversity since late 1990’s In 2001, the 31st session of the General Conference of UNESCO adopted “Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity” ; In 2003, the 32nd session of the General Conference decided to adopt related convention; In 2005, “Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions” was adopted in 2005 by the 33rd General Conference and entered into force in 2007.
UNESCO is one of key partners of the Alliance of Civilizations. Other significant flagship projects and initiatives include the Slave Route project and the cultural mapping with indigenous peoples and the Arabia Plan that promote cultural diversity, communication among cultures and civilizations.

Summary
UNESCO has launched the Memory of the World Programme to guard against collective amnesia calling upon the preservation of the valuable archive holdings and library collections all over the world ensuring their wide dissemination.

Legal Basis
General Guideline to Safeguard Documentary Heritage was adopted in 1995 at the General Conference of UNESCO.
(http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0012/001256/125637e.pdf)
Definition of documentary heritage The Memory of the World is the documented, collective memory of the peoples of the world – their documentary heritage – which in turn represents a large proportion of the world’s cultural heritage

Types
Textual items such as manuscripts, books, newspapers, posters, etc
non-textual items such as drawings, prints, maps, music
Audiovisual items such as films, discs, tapes and photograph
Virtual documents such as websites reside on servers
Selection criteria for the Memory of the World Register
Authenticity: Is it what it appears to be? Has its identity and provenance been reliably established?
Uniqueness and irreplaceability: something whose disappearance or deterioration would constitute a harmful impoverishment of the heritage of humanity. It must have created great impact over a span of time and/or within a particular cultural area of the world.

world significance
Selection Procedures
Application submitted to Communication and Information Sector
Decision made by the International Advisory Committee which takes place every other year
Announcement made by Secretary General of UNESCO