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The Cultural Heritage Administration is transforming into a national heritage system. It will change its name to the 'National Heritage Administration' and reorganize its structure and system.

On the 22nd, the Cultural Heritage Administration announced this year's major policy implementation plan at the annex of the Government Seoul Office. It aims to discover various policies and inform about the changing system to realize the basic principles of the 'National Heritage Basic Act.' These include ▲ protection and transmission of national heritage values ▲ creation of new future values ▲ active participation and enjoyment by the public ▲ promotion of sustainability ▲ revitalization of communities and regional development. Choi Eung-cheon, the head of the Cultural Heritage Administration, emphasized, "The Cultural Heritage Administration will newly start as the National Heritage Administration on May 17," adding, "We will focus all our capabilities on creating new values for national heritage and promoting public benefits."

Since the enactment of the Cultural Heritage Protection Act in 1962, the Cultural Heritage Administration has maintained the cultural heritage system for over 60 years. Cultural heritage has a strong impression of being 'past artifacts' or 'commodities.' Due to this narrow concept, limitations have appeared in policy application and other areas. The heritage (遺産·Heritage) concept, which is being promoted to overcome this, is an international standard encompassing the past, present, and future. Head Choi explained, "It means that the state takes responsibility for managing and overseeing all heritage."

The framework is already somewhat established. Last year, the National Heritage Basic Act as well as legal systems related to cultural, natural, and intangible heritage were completed. Head Choi stated, "We will shift policy directions to align with the changing policy environment and UNESCO international standards to establish new roles and values for national heritage."

On the 22nd, when a heavy snow warning was issued across Seoul, Bukaksan Mountain and Gyeongbokgung Palace were covered with snow that fell overnight. The Korea Meteorological Administration forecasted rain or snow in most regions nationwide on this day. Photo by Jo Yongjun jun21@

The Cultural Heritage Administration will establish a foundation for preservation and transmission tailored to the characteristics of each type according to the national heritage classification system. In the cultural heritage field, by September, a 'National Heritage Repair Materials Center (tentative name)' will be established in Bonghwa, Gyeongbuk, to stably manage the supply and quality of traditional materials, and a traditional materials certification system will be implemented. In the natural heritage field, the establishment of the 'National Institute of Natural Heritage' will be promoted for comprehensive and specialized preservation, research, and utilization. Management standards such as traditional landscaping standard unit prices will be set, and contests and exhibitions will be organized to promote the excellence of Korean traditional landscaping.

In the intangible heritage field, the transmission base will be expanded based on diversity and inclusiveness. Currently, the average age of the 174 holders of national intangible cultural heritage is 74.6 years, with 127 aged 70 or older. Accordingly, the Cultural Heritage Administration will expand the recognition survey for transmission educators to include general transmitters and designate intangible heritage transmission items at national institutions. Stable conditions for transmission activities will also be created. A representative example is the newly established incentive fund this year, which supports about 270 excellent national intangible heritage practitioners with an annual 1.6 billion KRW.

The Cultural Heritage Administration will also ease the public burden imposed on national heritage protection. It will first improve national heritage sites where residents live and the deteriorated nearby residential infrastructure. Landscape improvement projects promoting coexistence and mutual prosperity will be carried out, and 5 billion KRW will be supported for diagnostic surveys (sampling and trial excavation) of construction works closely related to daily life (detached houses, type 1 and 2 neighborhood living facilities, sports facilities, warehouse facilities, factories).

On the 4th, after the graffiti removal work on the walls of Gyeongbokgung Palace was completed, officials from the Cultural Heritage Administration removed the barriers covering the walls of Gyeongbokgung Palace in Jongno-gu, Seoul. The walls, restored through cleaning and color matching, were opened to the public from that day. Photo by Jo Yongjun jun21@

The regulation on the export and removal of modern art heritage will be reduced from 50 years or older to works created before 1946. A Cultural Heritage Administration official explained, "Research results show that the number of artworks increased significantly after liberation," adding, "Considering the number of works, the formation of the art market, and the emergence of professional artists, the cutoff year was set to 1946." They also said, "We plan to revise legal procedures within the year to allow artworks created after 1946 to be exported, exhibited, or sold overseas without special restrictions."

The Cultural Heritage Administration is also promoting various policies to enhance the value of national heritage. It is pushing for the enactment of the 'National Heritage Industry Promotion Act (tentative name)' and collaborating with advanced science and technology companies and research institutions to research and develop smart preservation and utilization technologies for national heritage. Additionally, it will strengthen the 'World National Heritage Industry Exhibition,' the only national heritage industry exhibition and exchange event in Korea, to revitalize the related industrial ecosystem, and promote utilization in various fields by expanding three-dimensional (3D) precision recording data and building an integrated database (DB).

Revitalizing regions using historical and cultural resources is also a key project this year. A budget of 17.2 billion KRW will be invested in the 'Our Local National Heritage Utilization Project' to encourage local governments to conduct experiences, explorations, and performances centered on national heritage. 'Historical and Cultural City Revitalization Projects' will be promoted in ancient capitals (Gyeongju, Gongju, Buyeo, Iksan), modern historical and cultural spaces (Gunsan, Tongyeong, etc.), and historical cultural zones (Naju, Haman, etc.) to drive regional tourism growth. Head Choi said, "We plan to intensively discover night-specialized content that induces domestic and international tourists to stay in the regions," adding, "We will present new utilization models such as operating a 'Year of National Heritage Visits by Region' every two years by selecting one metropolitan local government."

The Cultural Heritage Administration will also reorganize systems to protect national heritage from crises such as climate change. Over the next five years starting this year, 23.1 billion KRW will be invested in 'Climate Change Response National Heritage Preservation and Management Technology Development (R&D),' and 1.5 billion KRW will be supported this year for research on damage recovery and adaptive management of national heritage by industry, academia, and research institutes. Furthermore, emergency repair funds will be expanded to 4.1 billion KRW, and specific measures will be devised to preemptively protect national heritage located in natural disaster-prone areas such as mountains and valleys. Head Choi stated, "We plan to survey the status of about 360 national heritage sites by next year and prepare protection measures."

Global cooperation through national heritage and enhancement of national brand value are also notable projects. The scale of international development cooperation (ODA) for cultural heritage (13.1 billion KRW) increased by 178% compared to the previous year (4.8 billion KRW). Restoration of the Ramesses Temple gate in Egypt and the establishment of a Digital Heritage Center are being actively pursued, and participation in the restoration and maintenance of Angkor Wat in Cambodia is ongoing. Meanwhile, bases for preservation, utilization, and repatriation will be established in Europe (about 20%), which has many overseas cultural heritage sites, following Japan and the United States. Head Choi said, "We will provide various information on overseas cultural heritage and stimulate public interest in repatriation through active utilization such as exhibitions."

The Cultural Heritage Administration will continue efforts to register UNESCO heritage. This year, 'Korean Jangdangkgi Culture' will challenge inscription as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. 'Banguchon Rock Carvings' and 'Traditional Knowledge, Techniques, and Cultural Practices of Hanji Production' are also undergoing application procedures for World Heritage and Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, respectively. Head Choi stated, "In the case of 'Banguchon Rock Carvings,' the water level issue of the Sayun Dam downstream must be resolved," adding, "We will coordinate with local governments to prepare countermeasures before the inspection team visits Korea for the registration review."

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