Two traditional folk villages have been added to UNESCO's World Heritage List in recognition of their Confucian characteristics.

UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee announced the decision Sunday in its 34th session in Brazil.

The committee described the villages of Hahoe and Yangdong as reflecting "the distinctive aristocratic Confucian culture and architectural style" of the times.

The committee says its concern about the lack of an integrated management system for the two villages, which was the reason for the delay of the designation, was properly handled with the formation of a traditional village preservation council.

The Cultural Heritage Administration of Korea launched the council at the end of April.

The addition of the two villages gives Korea a total of ten sites on the World Heritage List.

Hahoe Village in Andong, and Yangdong Village in Gyeongju are both in North Gyeongsang Province. They are where the noble clans of the Joseon Dynasty lived and are considered the best representations of the early years of those times.