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.