Anchor: Korea's traditional folk song Arirang is highly likely to be recognized as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity by UNESCO. Our Kim In-kyung has more.

Report: The Cultural Heritage Administration said Monday that a subsidiary body of UNESCO's Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage has decided to recommend Arirang as an intangible cultural heritage.

UNESCO will make a final decision on recognizing Arirang at the seventh session of the Intergovernmental Committee, which will be held in Paris between December third and seventh.

The subsidiary body recommends whether to inscribe, not inscribe or refer a cultural heritage to the Intergovernmental Committee. As the panel has recommended the inscription of Arirang, the folk song is expected to become South Korea's 15th intangible cultural heritage recognized by UNESCO.

The Cultural Heritage Administration said the subsidiary body highly valued Arirang's role in forming the Korean identity and creating unity among Koreans. It also praised Arirang's re-creation from generation to generation.

Currently, South Korea's intangible cultural heritages on the UNESCO list include the royal ancestral rituals and music of Jongmyo Shrine, the traditional form of musical storytelling known as "pansori," and the Gangneung Danoje Festival.

Kim In-kyung, KBS World Radio News.