From Cultural Heritage Administration Commissioner to the President as the Awarding Authority of Intangible Cultural Heritage

Amendments to the "Act on the Preservation and Promotion of Intangible Cultural Heritage" and the "Cultural Heritage Protection Act"
Strengthened Sanctions on the Lending and Brokerage of Certification for Cultural Heritage Repair Technicians and Skilled Workers

The authority to award certificates to holders and organizations of National Intangible Cultural Heritage will be elevated from the Administrator of the Cultural Heritage Administration to the President. Sanctions against the lending and brokerage of certificates for cultural heritage repair technicians and artisans will be strengthened, and difficult terms in the Cultural Heritage Protection Act will be replaced with easier language.

On the 22nd, the Cultural Heritage Administration announced the promulgation of three related legislative amendments. The revised "Act on the Preservation and Promotion of Intangible Cultural Heritage" includes a legal basis to elevate the authority awarding certificates to holders and organizations of National Intangible Cultural Heritage from the Administrator of the Cultural Heritage Administration to the President. This aims to enhance the honor of those who have devoted themselves to the transmission and development of traditional culture and to promote the efficient operation of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Committee. Subordinate statutes will be amended to upgrade the certificate issuance to bear the President's name. Additionally, matters investigated and deliberated by the Joint Subcommittee will be deemed as having been handled by the Intangible Cultural Heritage Committee to increase expertise.

The amendment also includes strengthened sanctions against the lending and brokerage of certificates for cultural heritage repair technicians and artisans. Previously, only the act of lending certificates was prohibited, but going forward, both borrowing and brokering such certificates will be prohibited. Violators will face imprisonment of up to three years or fines up to 30 million KRW. Those who lend their certificates may have their qualifications revoked.

The "Cultural Heritage Protection Act" has been amended to replace difficult legal terms with easier-to-understand language. Sino-Korean words and terms such as "전화 (戰禍)", "입목 (立木)", "죽 (竹)", "선양", and "제반" will be replaced with simpler Korean expressions like "damage from war (전화)", "trees (입목)", "bamboo (죽)", "widely promoting (선양)", and "various (제반)". Furthermore, difficult legal terms such as "전적 (典籍, books recording writings and paintings)" and "영인 (影印, reproducing originals by photography or other methods)" will be accompanied by easy-to-understand explanations.

The amendments to the "Act on the Preservation and Promotion of Intangible Cultural Heritage" and the "Act on Cultural Heritage Repair, etc." will take effect six months later, while the amendment to the "Cultural Heritage Protection Act" will be enforced immediately.

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