‘Yeongdeok Jayum’, Gyeongbuk Province Announces Intangible Cultural Heritage Designation... Emerging as a Hub for Traditional Culture

10 National Cultural Properties and 4 Gyeongbuk Cultural Properties, etc.

The traditional salt-making method called ‘Yeongdeok Jayum,’ which has been passed down along the coastal areas of Yeongdeok-gun, Gyeongbuk Province, has been recognized for its value as a unique traditional Korean technique and was announced as a Gyeongbuk Provincial Intangible Cultural Property on the 16th.

In 2018, the Cultural Heritage Administration designated the salt-making method called ‘Jeyeom’ as a national intangible cultural heritage, recognizing it as traditional knowledge passed down in specific regions. Following this, Gyeongbuk Province announced the designation of ‘Yeongdeok Jayum,’ a traditional salt production method involving boiling seawater, as an intangible cultural property.

Generally, Korea’s salt industry developed around sea salt produced from seawater, with most salt being made by boiling seawater in cauldrons, known as Jayum.

However, during the Japanese colonial period, the salt production method largely shifted to solar evaporation salt (Cheonil Salt). Nevertheless, the East Coast area including Yeongdeok-gun continued producing salt until the 1950s by constructing salt fields using mud and other materials, digging trenches to draw in seawater, and increasing moisture content.

Gyeongbuk Province judged that this unique salt production method in Yeongdeok-gun contains traditional knowledge and culture, and thus pursued its designation as an intangible cultural property. After reviewing opinions collected during the 30-day announcement period and undergoing deliberation by the Cultural Heritage Committee, it will be finally designated as a Gyeongbuk Provincial Intangible Cultural Property.

Salt field site in Yeom 4-ri, Byeonggok-myeon.

Kim Gwang-yeol, the county governor, said, “I am very pleased that ‘Yeongdeok Jayum,’ which is deeply connected to Yeongdeok-gun’s history, culture, and local residents, has been recognized for its cultural value. We will continue to make great efforts to discover and preserve both tangible and intangible cultural properties within the county and improve management standards.”

Recently, Yeongdeok-gun has steadily promoted the designation and registration of cultural heritage with high preservation value. In 2019, the ‘Yeongdeok Yeonghae Market Street Modern Historical and Cultural Space’ was registered as a national registered cultural heritage, and in 2021, ‘Yeongdeok Goe-si Village’ was designated as a national folk cultural heritage, while the ‘Yeongdeok Jangyuksa Daeungjeon Mural’ was designated as a Gyeongbuk Provincial Tangible Cultural Property.

Last year, ‘Yeongdeok Ok-gye Chimsujeong Area’ and ‘Yeongdeok Muan Park Clan Heeam Jesa’ were designated as a nationally designated scenic site and national folk cultural heritage, respectively. This year, starting with ‘Yeongdeok Jayum,’ several cultural heritages are expected to be designated or registered as national or Gyeongbuk Provincial cultural properties, raising interest in Yeongdeok-gun’s historical and cultural resources even further.

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