Female Free Divers Get Closer to UNESCO Heritage Listing

Korea's famous haenyos or women divers who dive deep for shellfish, octopus and other seafood without breathing apparatus have come a step closer to being listed as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The Cultural Heritage Administration said Monday that the haenyos have been given the green light by a sub-committee under the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.

The final decision will be made between Nov. 26 to Dec. 2 at a session of the committee in Ethiopia.

The CHA said a green light from the sub-committee is a virtual guarantee of final approval. The sub-committee reviewed 37 applications for listing as intangible assets this year and approved 18 of them.

Korea now has 18 entries on the intangible heritage list, including royal ancestral rites and ritual music of the Jongmyo shrine (2001), Pansori narriative songs (2003), the folk song "Arirang" (2012) and kimchi-making culture (2013).

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