S Korea wants World Heritage status for floor heating

[File photo: jschina.com.cn]

South Korea is submitting its ancient heated earthen floors, known in the country as "ondol" for UNESCO World Cultural Heritage status, according to reports by local Korean media.

South Korea is looking to have this ancient home-heating system recognized and preserved. It is the only historic technology that is used in modern housing today. It is the origin of its more-modern iteration, under-floor heating.

Compared to coal and petrol, the traditional earthen-floor heating system uses wood as a fuel source to provide heat, doing less damage to the environment.

However, China claims the origin of the same sort of technology, making it the biggest obstacle in South Korea's application.