Assemblyman Lee Byung-hoon: "National Museum's 'Digital Data Disclosure' is Fortified"

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] While the government is establishing and actively promoting the ‘Digital Transformation Plan for Cultural Heritage,’ the National Museum is reportedly resisting this trend by firmly blocking the disclosure of digital data.

Lee Byung-hoon, a member of the National Assembly (Democratic Party of Korea, Gwangju Dong-gu Nam-gu Eul), pointed out at the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee’s audit that the National Museum refuses to disclose digital data, contrary to the government’s public data disclosure principles, and urged full disclosure to enhance the value of cultural heritage.

Rep. Lee said, “Benjamin conceptualized the uniqueness of art as ‘aura.’ No matter how many times the original work is copied, its value does not diminish but rather increases.” He added, “If digital reproduction of cultural heritage is properly utilized, the value of the original increases.”

In response, Min Byung-chan, director of the National Museum, replied, “We will fully disclose data at the level that the Cultural Heritage Administration discloses, through consultation with the Cultural Heritage Administration.”

The National Museum is promoting ‘Digital Strategy 2025’ to digitalize the museum, create immersive content experience centers, and build an online museum. However, the National Museum’s utilization plan mainly focuses on building exhibition content and producing educational content.

Rep. Lee stated, “The National Museum discloses 2D data to requesters but, as a principle, does not disclose 3D data to prevent distortion and misuse of the original cultural heritage.”

This principle of the National Museum has been widely criticized as contrary to the purpose of the ‘Act on the Provision and Activation of Public Data’ enacted in 2020.

Article 1 of the Act stipulates that “data held and managed by public institutions guarantees the public’s right to use public data and aims to contribute to improving quality of life and national economic development through private sector utilization of public data.”

Also, Article 3, Paragraph 4 of the same Act states, “Even in cases of commercial use of public data, prohibition or restriction shall not be imposed.” Public data should be provided unless it causes interference with work performance, infringes on third-party rights, or is misused for illegal activities.

Representative examples of how reproduction of cultural heritage affects its value include the ‘Mona Lisa’ at the Louvre Museum in France and the ‘Bust of Queen Nefertiti’ at the Pergamon Museum in Germany.

The Mona Lisa became famous as reproduced photographs spread with the development of printing technology. The 3D data of the Bust of Queen Nefertiti was also disclosed, and its modern adaptations in fashion, crafts, games, and films have rather increased its value.

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