- CHA, Gyeonggi-do, Gangwon-do discuss the current status of North Korean national heritage and exchange plans-

Cultural Heritage Administration (Administrator, Chung Jae-suk), along with Gyeonggi-do Province (Governor, Lee Jae-myung) and Gangwon-do Province (Governor, Choi Moon-soon), will co-host “The 1st South-North Korean Cultural Heritage Policy Forum of 2020” on May 14th 13:00 at the National Palace Museum of Korea’s Annex Auditorium.

The topic of this year’s South-North Korean Cultural Heritage Policy Forum is ‘Understanding the North Korean National Heritage and Exchange/Cooperation Plan for South-North Cultural Heritage, and the forum will be held 4 times in total (May, July, Sept. and Dec.) including the first forum.

The theme of the 1st forum is 'The Current Status and Understanding of National Heritage due to Policy Changes in North Korea'. Focusing on the cultural heritage from the Prehistoric to Japanese colonial period in North Korea and the sites investigated after liberation, total of 4 presentations are prepared: ▲ Policy Changes of North Korean National Heritage and Research on Material Heritage (historical sites) (Kim Hye-jung, Cultural Heritage Administration), ▲ National Heritage Policies of North Korea and Historical Relics (Park Ji-young, National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage), ▲ Inter-Korean Exchanges and Cooperation in the Field of Intangible Cultural Heritage (Park Young-jeong, Yeonsu Foundation for Arts and Culture), ▲ Policy Changes of North Korean National Heritage and the Current Status and Understanding of Natural Monuments and Scenic Spots (Lee Won-ho, National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage).

   * North Korean National Heritage: Consists of material heritage, non-material heritage, and natural heritage. Material heritage is divided into historical sites and historical heritage.

After the presentation, designated discussion on the topic presentations and free discussion by the participating committee members will follow with Professor Ahn Byung-woo (Honorary Professor at Hanshin University) as the presider. While exchanging discussions and opinions on the presentations, it can be expected that it will deepen understanding of the current status of North Korea's national heritage and conservation management policies and discuss establishing a more practical system for inter-Korean cultural property exchange and cooperation.

The South-North Korea Cultural Heritage Policy Forum, launched in 2019, is an advisory body for policy establishment due to the expansion of inter-Korean cultural property exchange and cooperation. In 2019, its first year, the forum covered the Korean demilitarized zone (DMZ) comprehensively in the span of six times. In particular, it contributed to the forming of future policies by discussing various opinions such as the necessity of preserving the Korean DMZ as a space of peace, healing, and memory to inscribe as the World Heritage Site, actual condition survey, and establishing of the protection system.

Also, since the signing the MOU for South-North Korean Joint DMZ World Heritage nomination with Gyeonggi-do Province and Gangwon-do Province (July 2019), the forum has been co-hosted with Gyeonggi-do Province and Gangwon-do Province from the 3rd forum (July 25, 2019).

As can be seen from the Gaeseong Manwoldae Site Inter-Korean Joint Excavation Survey (since 2007, total 8 times), cultural property exchange projects are characterized by restoring ethnic homogeneity and ensuring sustainability. Cultural Heritage Administration plans to collect various opinions raised through the policy forum 4 times this year and reflect them in the policymaking necessary for future exchanges and cooperation between North and South Korean cultural heritage.

 Division: South and North Korea Cultural Properties Cooperation Project Team

Contact person: Cho Eun-kyoung (042-860-9471), Lee Jong-gyu (042-481-4731)