Often found at theaters and museums, Kwon Mee-yoo has covered a wide range of cultural fields from K-pop and dramas to theater and fine art for over a decade. Now as K-Culture Desk editor, she tries to connect Korean culture with global readers through fresh perspectives.
Cultural heritage institute launches English magazine
By Kwon Mee-yoo
Cover of the first issue of "NRICH.” Courtesy of NRICH
By Kwon Mee-yoo
The National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage (NRICH) released the first issue of NRICH, an English magazine on Korean cultural heritage research projects, on Nov. 30.
Founded 51 years ago, the institute is an affiliate of the Cultural Heritage Administration, which focuses on comprehensive research related to Korea's cultural heritage. It has collaborated with various domestic and international organizations as well.
The launch of the new English magazine comes from the institute's efforts to publicize its work to preserve and utilize Korean cultural properties abroad.
"Compared to these domestic and overseas activities, there is a lack of media promoting cultural heritage research achievements to people around the world. NRICH magazine was published in the form of an English-language magazine so that people around the world can access the news more quickly and easily," it said in the statement.
The first issue's main article includes research on the Silla tumuli in Gyeongju's Jjoksaem District; the restoration of the manufacturing technology of big jar coffins of the ancient society of the Yeongsan River basin; the Royal Tombs of Joseon, a World Heritage Site; and joint research efforts with overseas institutions such as Mongolia and Kazakhstan.
The magazine also features topical columns. This issue's columns feature items such as scientific research on scenic sites of the Bogildo Island Garden; the characteristics of the gold thread used in traditional Korean costumes and the scientific monitoring of cultural heritage sites in preparation for disasters.
The magazine is free of charge and is distributed to related cultural organizations and research institutes. It will be published on the institute's website for free public access.
Meanwhile, the institute shared its technology to protect architectural cultural heritage sites in response to a disaster with a private company.
The NRICH's patent "Roofing tile fixture and roofing tile roof containing them" is designed to maintain the original form of buildings relevant to cultural heritage by preventing tiles from sliding or dropping as a result of natural challenges such as earthquakes, typhoons or heavy snow.
It came as a result of a research project titled "Technological Study of Cultural Heritage Disaster Response," conducted by the institute from 2017.
The technology transfer was processed through the IP-Market (national intellectual property trading platform) of the Korea Invention Promotion Association. The NRICH signed an exclusive license agreement with Donghae Construction, which is pursuing a number of cultural heritage maintenance and repair projects on Jeju Island. The company will use the technology to restore damage to cultural assets caused by disasters.
Kwon Mee-yoo