KOREAN MASK DANCE DRAMA APPLIES FOR UNESCO

[Anchor Lead]

The Korean masked dance drama "Hahoe byeolsingut talnori" could soon be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage. The Korean Cultural Heritage Administration will apply for inscription next year.

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The Cultural Heritage Administration will apply for the Korean traditional mask dance to be listed as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage next year. The application will include 13 kinds of traditional mask dances designated as intangible cultural assets of Korea. Theseinclude Hahoe Byeolsingut Talnori, Tongyeong Ogwangdae and Yangju Byeolsandaenori as well as four kinds of mask dances designated as local intangible cultural assets. All these performances portray social evils through humor, dance and drama. The Korean traditional mask dance has received a higher score from the Cultural Heritage Administration in terms of preservation and traditional qualities compared to 32 other items, including the gayageum and the traditional attire hanbok.

[Soundbite] CHUNG HONG-SHIK(INTERNATIONAL MASK ARTS & CULTURE ORGANIZATION) : "The committee gave a high score because the inscription is being supported by the International Mask Arts and Culture Organization."

If the application is submitted in March next year, the final decision on the listing will be made in November 2022. If the Hahoe Byeolsingut Talnori dance is listed as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, Andong City will become the first local government in Korea to have cultural heritage items listed in all three UNESCO categories. Counter to expectations, South and North Korea will not make a joint inscription bid this time although the possibility of a last-minute agreement still remains. The International Mask Arts & Culture Organization, which is based in Andong, will provide a detailed description of the priceless value of the Korean traditional mask dance as a World Heritage in next-year's application.