Will Korea National University of Arts Move to Gwangju?... Bill Proposed for Relocation and Graduate School Establishment

Members of the National Assembly representing Gwangju have jointly proposed an amendment to the law that would relocate the Korea National University of Arts to the Jeonnam-Gwangju Metropolitan City and establish a graduate school. The proposal addresses both the need for relocation due to the UNESCO World Heritage designation of Uireung at the Seoul Seokgwan-dong campus and the current restrictions on establishing a graduate school.

Min Hyung-bae, the Democratic Party of Korea candidate for Jeonnam-Gwangju Metropolitan Mayor, along with Assembly members Jung Joon-ho and Chun Jinsook, held a press conference at the National Assembly's Communication Center on April 23 to explain the contents of the proposed "Act on the Establishment and Operation of the Korea National University of Arts."

Screenshot from Jinsook Jeon's Facebook page

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The Korea National University of Arts, established in 1993, is a national specialized arts education institution that has fostered artistic talent through six schools: music, theater, film, dance, visual arts, and traditional arts.

The current campus in Seokgwan-dong, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul includes Uireung, a royal tomb from the Joseon Dynasty. With Uireung designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site, the need to relocate the facilities has been continuously raised.

There are also institutional limitations. The Korea National University of Arts is classified as a "various types of schools" under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, which prevents it from offering master's and doctoral degree programs.

The proposed amendment includes the establishment of a graduate school with the authority to confer degrees, as well as the relocation of the university to Jeonnam-Gwangju Metropolitan City. It also aims to grant more flexibility in the length of programs, such as 4 to 5 years for undergraduate courses and more than 2 years for graduate programs.

The lawmakers stated that relocating the university is expected to help expand the region's cultural and artistic foundation and create a supportive environment for young artists to settle in the area.

In addition to the lawmakers who attended the press conference, all National Assembly members representing Gwangju constituencies, including Jung Jinwook, Cho Incheol, Park Kyuntaek, Ahn Dogeol, and Yang Bunam, participated as co-sponsors of the amendment.

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