A legal foundation has been established to better preserve and oversee UNESCO world heritage sites in South Korea.

The Cultural Heritage Administration said on Friday that a special law on the preservation, management and use of world heritage sites was passed in parliament on Thursday.

The special law, introduced by Liberty Korea Party lawmaker Chung Jin-suk and others, stipulates responsibilities held by the state and provincial authorities related to tasks defined under the convention on the protection of UNESCO world cultural and natural heritage. 

It also calls for guaranteeing the participation of related officials and local residents in these efforts.

The special law will go into effect one year after its promulgation.