UNESCO accepts joint Korean bid, traditional wrestling makes cultural heritage list

UNESCO accepted the joint Korean bid to recognize traditional Korean wrestling on November 26. Ssireum was inscribed onto the United Nations cultural body’s list of intangible cultural heritage items. It was a historic bid as both North and South Korea made an unprecedented joint bid. The decision was unanimously made by a UNESCO committee in Mauritius.The official name of the newly listed world heritage item is “Traditional Korean Wrestling (Ssirum/Ssireum)”. Kumbh Mela and Yoga made it to this list in 2017 and 2016 respectively from India.