Korea and Mongolia Open a Joint Path for Documentary Heritage

National Institute of Korean Studies Invites Staff from the National Library of Mongolia
Sharing Expertise in Preservation and Utilization

The National Institute of Korean Studies (President Jongsub Jeong) is accelerating international cooperation in the preservation and utilization of documentary heritage in partnership with the National Library of Mongolia (Director Ichinhorloo Bayalkhuu).

Jongsub Jeong, President of the National Institute of Korean Studies (third from the left in the front row), is taking a commemorative photo with the director of the National Library of Mongolia and their delegation who participated in the job training.

From September 22 to 26, the Institute invited 10 staff members from the National Library of Mongolia to participate in a job training program focused on the management and preservation of documentary heritage. This training was a follow-up cooperative project to the agreement signed between the two institutions in Mongolia in May and the subsequent project to survey Korean materials held in Mongolia.

◆ Integration of Advanced Preservation Technology and Field Experience

The participants toured the Institute’s facilities, where over 670,000 pieces of documentary heritage are preserved, including UNESCO Memory of the World collections. They observed scientific preservation methods for paper and wooden artifacts in the storage and Jangpangak facilities, showing great interest in the RFID-based management system and advanced disaster prevention equipment. At the Confucian Culture Museum and the UNESCO Memory of the World Experience Exhibition Hall, they learned about the introduction and operation of the “visible storage” system.

In addition, the group visited traditional sites such as Dosan Seowon, Hahoe Village, and Yean Gunjamaeul to experience the historical context of spaces where documentary heritage originated. Notably, they visited sites related to Kim Yu, the author of , the oldest surviving cookbook in Korea, as well as a traditional food experience center, learning about the connection between culinary culture and documentary heritage.

◆ A Bridgehead for Digitization and Preservation Cooperation

The two institutions held a roundtable to share experiences in collecting, classifying, preserving, and utilizing documentary heritage, and discussed directions for future cooperation. The Mongolian side expressed strong interest in digitization, while the National Institute of Korean Studies provided a detailed introduction to its digitization project management and online utilization systems.

The director of the National Library of Mongolia stated, “After seeing the Jangpangak, I am determined to establish a dedicated storage facility for Buddhist woodblocks in Mongolia. This training has been extremely helpful in formulating our future preservation plans.”

President Jongsub Jeong emphasized, “The National Institute of Korean Studies has taken its first step in sharing its accumulated expertise in documentary heritage preservation on an international scale. We will continue to broaden cooperation so that both countries can promote the value of documentary heritage to the world.”

This job training program is seen as more than a simple transfer of preservation technology; it is regarded as a platform for international cultural diplomacy through documentary heritage. The experience accumulated by the National Institute of Korean Studies is not only strengthening Mongolia’s capacity for traditional heritage preservation, but also laying the foundation for both countries to build an East Asian documentary culture community.

The director of the National Library of Mongolia and their delegation are attentively listening to an explanation from a representative of the Promotion Institute during a visit to observe the preservation methods of Confucian woodblocks, a UNESCO Memory of the World heritage.

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