The Gaya Tumuli, a group of seven burial mounds from Korea's ancient Gaya confederacy, has been recommended to be included on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

According to the Cultural Heritage Administration on Thursday, the International Council on Monuments and Sites(ICOMOS), UNESCO's cultural heritage evaluation and advisory body, made the assessment.

While the review body reviews candidates for recommendation to register, defer a decision, return an application or disallow inclusion, those advised to register are most likely to receive a listing by the World Heritage Committee.

The Gaya federation refers to some ten small kingdoms that prospered surrounding the Nakdong River between the first and sixth centuries.

The tumuli, all state-designated cultural properties, located in both Gyeongsang provinces and North Jeolla Province, are assessed to be key historic sites that offer a glimpse of Gaya's cultural establishment, development and identity.

Cultural heritage authorities said the ICOMOS has recognized the tumuli as an important evidence of Gaya's coexistence with more strongly centralized neighbors, while maintaining an autonomous and parallel political structure. They said the sites also display the diversity of ancient East Asian civilizations.

The World Heritage Committee is set to make a final decision in the Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh in September.