From a martyr's bloody clothes to a monk's wooden chair, artifacts from Korea's recent past designated 'preliminary cultural heritage'
Published: 12 Nov. 2025, 15:11
Updated: 14 Nov. 2025, 18:53
![Clothes and shoes worn by student activist Lee Han-yeol during the democratization movement rallies at Yonsei University, which were designated ″preliminary cultural heritage″ on Nov. 11. [KOREA HERITAGE SERVICE]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/11/14/49c928be-2eaf-45c6-a5b7-4f094171e781.jpg)
Clothes and shoes worn by student activist Lee Han-yeol during the democratization movement rallies at Yonsei University, which were designated ″preliminary cultural heritage″ on Nov. 11. [KOREA HERITAGE SERVICE]
Venerable Beopjeong’s “Papillon Chair,” student activist Lee Han-yeol's clothing and the metal ring from the opening ceremony of the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul are among the first artifacts to be named “preliminary cultural heritage,” commemorating symbolic objects that resonate with Korea’s modern and contemporary history.
Preliminary cultural heritage refers to objects less than 50 years old that are not eligible for designation as registered cultural heritage but represent Korea’s modern history and culture.
The Korea Heritage Service (KHS) introduced the system in September last year to identify, in advance, future heritage items of cultural significance or value. Since then, numerous items have been reviewed through public submissions and recommendations, with 10 ultimately chosen as candidates.
The subcommittee for modern and contemporary heritage under the Cultural Heritage Committee approved the selection of the 10 items at a meeting on Tuesday, according to the KHS on Wednesday. These will be officially designated as preliminary cultural heritage following public notice in the official gazette.
“These 10 pieces of preliminary cultural heritage include important artifacts that embody key moments, figures, events and stories from Korea’s modern and contemporary history,” the KHS said.
Among them are relics that reflect Korea’s turbulent democratization process. Eleven items, including the bloody clothes and sneakers Lee wore during the 1987 Yonsei University pro-democracy rally where he was killed, are recognized as significant symbols of the pro-democracy movement.
![The Nobel Peace Prize received by former President Kim Dae-jung and a certificate, which were designated ″preliminary cultural heritage″ on Nov. 11. [KOREA HERITAGE SERVICE]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/11/14/9939f8cd-fe27-4fb3-aaf4-25c443d6b92c.jpg)
The Nobel Peace Prize received by former President Kim Dae-jung and a certificate, which were designated ″preliminary cultural heritage″ on Nov. 11. [KOREA HERITAGE SERVICE]
The photo of the moment a tear-gas canister struck Lee in the head spread widely and helped ignite broader demonstrations that eventually forced Korea's then-ruling military dictatorship to hold direct presidential elections and adopt democratic reforms.
The Nobel Peace Prize medal and certificate awarded to former President Kim Dae-jung in 2000 are also included.
The prize recognized Kim’s efforts to promote democracy and human rights in Korea and East Asia, particularly his work toward peace and reconciliation between the two Koreas. As the first Korean recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, the medal and certificate are regarded as historically significant.
Some items reflect the lives and philosophies of notable individuals. A wooden chair known as the Papillon Chair, crafted in 1976 by renowned Buddhist monk Venerable Beopjeong using firewood after building Bulil Hermitage at Songgwang Temple in South Jeolla in 1975, stands out.
![Venerable Beopjeong's ″Papillon Chair,″ which was designated ″preliminary cultural heritage″ on Nov. 11. [KOREA HERITAGE SERVICE]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/11/14/ceca11ac-5155-4a37-bc2c-f4df7fe30c25.jpg)
Venerable Beopjeong's ″Papillon Chair,″ which was designated ″preliminary cultural heritage″ on Nov. 11. [KOREA HERITAGE SERVICE]
Named after the film “Papillon” (1973), the monk reportedly drew a parallel between the isolated main character’s life and his own time spent in meditation on the chair, using it as a symbol of introspection.
The “Medical and Care Tools of Marianne and Margaritha on Sorok Island” include items used by two Austrian nurses, Marianne Stöger and Margaritha Pissarek, who dedicated themselves to caring for Hansen’s disease patients and their families on Sorok Island, Goheung County, between 1976 and 2005.
The objects reflect their commitment to eradicating the disease and reducing social stigma in a harsh medical environment.
Artifacts from Korea’s industrialization are also represented. The Uiseong automatic matchstick manufacturing machine is the only one of its kind in the country.
![An automatic matchstick manufacturing machine, which was designated ″preliminary cultural heritage″ on Nov. 11. [KOREA HERITAGE SERVICE]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/11/14/6ec4bceb-653b-4b81-a777-341d4bfe9e75.jpg)
An automatic matchstick manufacturing machine, which was designated ″preliminary cultural heritage″ on Nov. 11. [KOREA HERITAGE SERVICE]
Built in the early 1980s through collaboration between residents and a domestic company, it had a significant impact on both the industrial and everyday life of Uiseong and the surrounding areas in North Gyeongsang during the 1980s and 1990s.
Sporting memorabilia are included, too. These include wrestler Yang Jung-mo’s gold medal from the 21st Summer Olympics in Montreal in 1976 — the first Olympic gold medal won by a Korean — and commemorative items from the historic unified North-South Korean table tennis team at the 41st World Table Tennis Championships in Chiba in 1991, such as paddles and a triangular flag.
Items related to Antarctic exploration, including materials from the South Korean Antarctic Research Team and the King Sejong Station, as well as documents from Korea’s first successful ascent of Mount Everest in 1977, have also been selected.
![The hoop used during the opening ceremony of the 1988 Seoul Olympics and a sketch of the outfit worn by Yoon Tae-woong during the performance, which were designated ″preliminary cultural heritage″ on Nov. 11. [KOREA HERITAGE SERVICE]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/11/14/cb82a3ce-e462-4641-83ee-516b517d676f.jpg)
The hoop used during the opening ceremony of the 1988 Seoul Olympics and a sketch of the outfit worn by Yoon Tae-woong during the performance, which were designated ″preliminary cultural heritage″ on Nov. 11. [KOREA HERITAGE SERVICE]
Also recognized is the metal hoop a young Korean boy, Yoon Tae-woong, rolled across the field during the opening ceremony of the 1988 Seoul Olympics — a moment that drew global attention — and a sketch of the outfit Yoon wore during the performance.
The KHS stated that it will work with the relevant central ministries, local governments and owners or custodians to ensure the systematic management and use of these artifacts.
It also plans to conduct surveys and consider official registration for artifacts approaching the 50-year threshold, aiming to establish a sustainable preservation system for cultural heritage.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KANG HYE-RAN [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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