Jongno-gu Selected for Cultural Heritage Administration's 'Cultural Heritage Enjoyment Program for Vulnerable Groups' Competition

From May to October, receiving 324 million KRW in government funding, 'Jongno Aeseo (鐘路愛棲)' - Love Nest in Jongno operates... Providing vulnerable groups with opportunities for World Heritage exploration, exhibition craft experiences, and performance viewing

UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site Changdeokgung Palace Panorama

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Jongno-gu (District Mayor Kim Young-jong) has achieved the remarkable feat of being the only district among Seoul’s 25 autonomous districts selected in the Cultural Heritage Administration’s ‘Cultural Heritage Enjoyment Program for Vulnerable Groups’ public contest.

Accordingly, from May to October, it will receive 324 million KRW in national funding to operate the ‘Jongno-aeseo (鐘路愛棲) - Love Dwells in Jongno’ program.

Jongno-gu is home to Jongmyo Shrine and Changdeokgung Palace, which were registered as UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1995 and 1997, respectively.

In addition, the area hosts various other cultural assets, making it a veritable treasure trove of cultural heritage.

Furthermore, it includes Bukchon, a hanok (traditional Korean house) dense area representing Seoul, and Tapgol Park, frequently visited by seniors, both of which hold high historical and cultural value and are consistently loved by domestic and international tourists.

The district plans to leverage these regional characteristics while developing and distributing customized services that reflect the conditions and preferences of different social classes, enabling vulnerable groups within the district to enjoy cultural heritage without restrictions.

In particular, considering people with physical disabilities who face physical limitations, multicultural families who experience psychological constraints due to language and cultural differences, the elderly, and children, participants will be selected through local social welfare facilities.

The program consists of ▲ ‘Meeting World Heritage in Jongno’ ▲ Exhibition craft experience ‘Meeting and Learning Bukchon’ ▲ Workshop tour experience ‘A Round of Traditional Crafts’ ▲ Senior cultural enjoyment program at Tapgol ‘Tapgol Cultural Companionship’ ▲ and ‘Cultural Picnic’ with seniors of Jongno-gu.

First, ‘Meeting World Heritage in Jongno’ offers a special opportunity to deeply understand sites such as Changdeokgung Palace, Gyeongbokgung Palace, Sajikdan Altar, Hanyangdoseong Fortress Wall, and Sungkyunkwan Confucian Academy through direct visits.

Organized to enhance understanding of cultural heritage and provide historical experience opportunities, participants tour various facilities that are usually difficult to access due to travel distance or restricted areas, accompanied by experts.

‘Meeting and Learning Bukchon,’ held at Bukchon Yeolseo, is composed of artist talks and hands-on programs. This exhibition craft program is led by artisans, young craftsmen, and artists who provide explanations and education, allowing participants to enjoy umbrella making, metal crafts, as well as pottery, knotting, and gold leaf experiences.

‘A Round of Traditional Crafts,’ a workshop tour experience in the Bukchon hanok village, galleries, and experience centers, allows participants to feel the beauty of traditional Korean culture. Visitors directly visit artisans’ studios and workshops to appreciate crafts and observe production methods. This tour program offers indirect experience of crafts that are difficult to try firsthand, such as metalwork, glass crafts, and pottery kilns, and helps understand the artists’ working environments.

The senior program ‘Tapgol Cultural Companionship,’ held at the Ten-Story Stone Pagoda of Wongaksa Temple Site, Wongaksa Stele, and Tapgol Park, is also noteworthy. Tapgol Park, Korea’s first urban park and designated Historic Site No. 354, will be the focus of the tour, which includes enjoying performances that blend tradition and art.

Considering the high proportion of elderly population in Jongno, this program was designed to promote healthy and happy aging for seniors.

The ‘Cultural Picnic (文化消風)’ program, which tours major local cultural assets such as Unhyeongung Palace and Jongmyo Shrine with a cultural interpreter, adds special value with performances by North Korean art troupes for displaced seniors and comedy shows. It was created to provide seniors with opportunities to regain social belonging.

UNESCO World Heritage Site Jongmyo Shrine

For program applications and more detailed information, contact A&A Cultural Research Institute (☎ 323-0804).

District Mayor Kim Young-jong stated, “‘Jongno-aeseo’ is a customized program that considers the characteristics and preferences of socially vulnerable groups who have difficulty accessing cultural heritage. It is especially meaningful that Jongno-gu, a veritable treasure trove of cultural heritage, was the only district in Seoul selected as a target area in the Cultural Heritage Administration’s contest,” adding, “We will strive to ensure that all residents can equally enjoy culture and arts and live a life enriched with culture.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.