Korea's traditional folk song "Arirang" was added to UNESCO's intangible
cultural heritage list on Thursday.
The Intergovernmental Committee
for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage decided to inscribe the
song on the heritage list during its seventh meeting Wednesday, Paris time, at
UNESCO headquarters, the U.N. cultural agency said.
"Arirang" is not
just one song but a variety of local versions handed down generation after
generation in Korea. It is often dubbed a "second national anthem" or an
"unofficial national anthem" of Korea because, due to its easy melody and tune,
virtually all Koreans, even those living in North Korea and abroad, can sing at
least part of it. Experts say there are thousands of variations of "Arirang"
carrying the refrain, "Arirang, arirang, arariyo."
"While dealing with
diverse universal themes, the simple musical and literary composition invites
improvisation, imitation and singing in unison. A great virtue is its respect
for human creativity, freedom of expression and empathy. Everyone can create new
lyrics, adding to the song's regional, historical and genre variations, and
cultural diversity," UNESCO said in a press release.
The lyrical folk
song has inspired many literary and art works. Both the first full-scale Korean
film and the first opera made by Koreans had the title "Arirang." The song has
long served the role of rallying unity among Koreans both on the Korean
Peninsula and in other parts of the world.
The addition brought to 15
the number of South Korean items on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage of
Humanity List, including the Royal Ancestral Rite and Ritual Music at the
Jongmyo Shrine, which the kings of the Joseon Dynasty used in ancestral memorial
ceremonies, and "pansori," a traditional Korean style of narrative
song.
The result has been widely expected since the committee's
subsidiary body that pre-examines nominations recommended "Arirang" be placed on
the list early last month, along with 17 other nominations. There have been no
known nominations dropped in the final stage after being recommended by the
subpanel, according to Seoul officials.
South Korea belatedly stepped
up efforts to get "Arirang" on the UNESCO list after China included the song on
its own national intangible cultural heritage list in May 2011, claiming that it
is a folk song of an ethnic Korean group living in the northeastern part of the
country.
Seoul previously unsuccessfully attempted to add "Jeongseon
Arirang," known as the original version of the song, on the UNESCO list in 2009,
but had made no aggressive efforts until then.
Prompted by the Chinese
move, the Seoul government submitted a revised application to UNESCO to list the
song as an intangible heritage in June this year. This time, the application
included all versions of "Arirang."
"We hope the registration of
Korea's most popular folk song as UNESCO cultural heritage will help increase
the world's awareness of Korea and the South Korean people's perception of the
importance of their own intangible cultural heritage," South Korea's Cultural
Heritage Administration said in a statement.