Cultural Heritage Administration announces overhaul to expand scope to 'Korean Heritage'

Choi Eung-chon, head of the Cultural Heritage Administration, speaks during the press briefing held on Thursday in central Seoul. [YONHAP]

The Cultural Heritage Administration announced on Thursday a set of key projects it plans to focus on this year, which includes reorganizing systems, policies and restructuring the organization so that it can live up to its new name — the Korea Heritage Service (KHS), which will take effect on May 17.

The name change was suggested in an attempt to overhaul the current heritage classification system, which includes changing the official title that refers to state-designated cultural heritage from the current “Cultural Heritage” to “Korean Heritage” to abandon the old classification system adopted in 1962 with the enactment of the Cultural Heritage Protection Act. According to the administration, the new name, Korean Heritage, is an extended concept that encompasses the source assets of communities and regions as well as future heritage. The new classification system will also be consistent with the Unesco heritage classification.

Korean Heritage will be categorized into three types: cultural, natural and intangible.

Under the Cultural Heritage division, a new center, tentatively named the Korean Heritage Repair Materials Center, will be established in Bonghwa, north Gyeongsang in September, to help stabilize the supply and demand of traditional materials and quality control. The government will also introduce a traditional material certification system for the first time.

Under the Natural Heritage division, the administration said it will push ahead with the establishment of the Korean Natural Heritage Center for comprehensive and professional preservation as well as research on Korea's natural heritage. As for intangible heritage, the government will financially support those who complete the courses to learn about Korea's intangible cultural heritage with outstanding results to acknowledge their contribution in passing down the country's traditions.

So far, traditional artwork by deceased artists that were more than 50 years old had to be approved by the government to be taken outside the country. The administration said it will loosen the policy and lift the travel restrictions to artwork created after 1946.
The administration will also make sure its biannual Royal Culture Festival will become a global festival by adding more programs that can be enjoyed by foreign travelers visiting the country including more nighttime programs inside Korea's five palaces and the Jongmyo Shrine during the festival, which takes place in spring and autumn. From this year, the popular moonlight palace tour will be organized at all five palaces, with Changgyeong Palace joining for the first time.

The Cultural Heritage Administration has been operating with the same regulations, the same policy for the past 60 years,” said Choi Eung-chon, the chief of the administration. "Now, it's time to change the policy direction to meet the changing environment and international standards to establish a new role and value of national heritage.”

BY YIM SEUNG-HYE [yim.seunghye@joongang.co.kr]