Busan: Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp, historic porcelain production sites in eastern China, and expanded tidal flats in western South Korea were added to UNESCO's World Heritage List on Saturday during a UN committee meeting in Busan.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee is continuing its meeting through Wednesday to review dozens of other nominations, including France's D-Day landing beaches, Greece's Mount Olympus, and the ancient Japanese capitals of Asuka and Fujiwara.
The Okefenokee Swamp, one of the world's largest freshwater ecosystems, is known for its extensive wetlands, rich biodiversity, and its role as the source of two major rivers. UNESCO highlighted its largely untouched peat beds, which contain a 5,000-year record of environmental changes, making it both an important natural habitat and a valuable site for climate and environmental research.
The World Heritage recognition places the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge alongside well-known US landmarks such as the Grand Canyon. However, some local residents had opposed the nomination, expressing concerns that the designation could lead to greater UN involvement in managing the area.
"We accept this inscription not as a finish line, but as a commitment to keep the Okefenokee wild, resilient, and thriving for generations to come," said Kim Bednarek, executive director of the nonprofit Okefenokee Swamp Park, which worked with the US government on the site's nomination.
The committee also approved the expansion of South Korea's World Heritage-listed "getbol" tidal flats by adding four more coastal wetlands in Seosan, Goheung, Muan, and Yeosu. UNESCO first listed four South Korean tidal flats in 2021 because of their rich biodiversity and their importance as resting grounds for migratory birds.
South Korea's Foreign Ministry stated that the expanded listing highlights the importance of international cooperation in protecting the Yellow Sea ecosystem and the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, a major migratory bird route stretching from the Arctic through Asia to Australia and New Zealand.
UNESCO also added the historic porcelain production sites in Jingdezhen, China, to the World Heritage List. The sites document the development of handcrafted porcelain production from the 10th to the 19th centuries and showcase innovations that helped establish Jingdezhen as one of the world's leading centers of fine porcelain. Its famous blue-and-white porcelain became a global symbol of Chinese craftsmanship, UNESCO said.