Assistant Instructor for Intangible Cultural Heritage Transmission Also Became an Honorary Holder

Jongmyo Jeryeak Honorary Holders Recognized Including Choi Chung-ung and Lee Sang-yong Among 21 People
First Time Transmission Education Assistant Recognized as Honorary Holder

On the 27th, the Cultural Heritage Administration announced that it has recognized twenty-one transmission education assistants of fifteen national intangible cultural heritage categories, including Choi Chung-woong of Jongmyo Jeryeak, as honorary holders. This is the first time that transmission education assistants of national intangible cultural heritage have been recognized as honorary holders.

Transmission education assistants refer to individuals who assist the holders or holder organizations in transmission education. The honorary holder system was established in 2001 to honor national intangible cultural heritage holders who find it difficult to carry out transmission education or inheritance activities due to old age or other reasons. To date, seventy honorary holders have been recognized, of whom fifty-five have passed away.

There have been ongoing calls in the cultural sector to recognize not only holders but also transmission education assistants as honorary holders. In response, the Cultural Heritage Administration amended Article 17 of the Enforcement Decree and Article 8-2 of the Enforcement Rules of the Act on the Protection and Promotion of Intangible Cultural Heritage last year, and this time recognized transmission education assistants as honorary holders for the first time.

The recognized individuals include Choi Chung-woong and Lee Sang-yong of Jongmyo Jeryeak; Kang Jeong-ja of Pansori; Kim Guk-ja and Park Bu-deok of Ganggangsullae; Cha Ju-taek and Choi Dong-gyu of Gangneung Nongak; Jo Soon-ae of Jinju Geommu; Jeong Cheon-guk of Yeongsan Soemori Daegi; Kim Hong-nam of Naju Saetgolnai; Kim Ho-seong of Gasa; Park Jeong-ja, Lee In-seop, and Kim Yong-woo of Dancheongjang; Bang Young-ju of Gasan Ogwangdae; Kim Geum-jeon of Seohaean Baeyeonshin Gut and Daedong Gut; Lee Gyu-jong of Myeongju Jjagi; Lee Chang-ho and An Geum-sun of Hwanghaedo Pyeongsan Sonoreum Gut; Kim Jeong-nyeo of Salpuri Dance; and Yang Nam-suk of Sambe Jjagi.

A Cultural Heritage Administration official explained, “The selection was made through the Intangible Cultural Heritage Committee review, targeting transmission education assistants aged 65 or older with over 20 years of assistant experience,” adding, “They will receive improved benefits compared to transmission education assistants, including a monthly support fund of 1 million won and a funeral condolence payment of 1.2 million won.”

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