The Director of the Korean Art History Research Institute, Mun Myeong-dae, who discovered the Bangudae Petroglyphs in Ulsan, will receive a government medal. On December 9, the National Heritage Administration will hold a ceremony at the Government Complex Daejeon to award honors to those who have contributed to the preservation, management, and utilization of national heritage and to publicize their achievements.
Mun Myeong-dae, a scholar of Buddhist art history, will receive the Eungwan Order of Cultural Merit. While investigating Buddhist relics in the Ulsan area in 1970, he discovered the Cheonjeon-ri Inscription and Petroglyphs with various patterns, writings, and drawings, and the following year, with a tip from local residents, he discovered the Bangudae Petroglyphs as well. Both petroglyphs have been designated as national treasures and are being considered for UNESCO World Heritage designation. The International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), the official advisory body of the World Heritage Committee, completed its site inspection last May, and the final decision will be made in July of next year.
The late Shin Su-sik, an honorary holder of the Yeongsan Tug-of-War, a National Intangible Cultural Heritage, who passed away last month, will also be awarded the Eungwan Order of Cultural Merit. He was the last holder of the Yeongsan Tug-of-War, widely known through university festivals in the 1980s, and was highly recognized for his efforts to register it as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Moreover, Lee Sang-seok, Chairman of the Natural Heritage Committee, who led the enactment of the “Act on the Conservation and Utilization of Natural Heritage,” along with Kang Jeon-yu, head of Korea’s first tree hospital, will be awarded the Bogwan Order of Cultural Merit.
The Ok-gwan Order of Cultural Merit will be given to Kim Eun-dong, a holder of the Gyeongsangbuk-do Intangible Heritage Goryeong Tilework. He served as the elder chairman of the National Heritage Artisans Association and was recognized for his dedication to creating traditional Korean style tiles.
The President’s Commendation will be given to three individuals and two organizations: Kang Kyung-sook, an honorary professor at Chungbuk National University who established the academic framework of ceramic history; Jeong Chae-nam, the holder of Gwangryeosan Charcoal Work Songs, who discovered the labor song “Charcoal Work Song”; Lee Jong-geun, an author who interpreted “Flower Wall” as a story; the Andong Chajeonnori Preservation Society; and the Chungnam Institute of History and Culture.
A Prime Minister’s Commendation will be awarded to Kim In-kyu, a guest researcher at Chungnam National University’s Agriculture and Science Research Institute, who has been involved in preserving habitats for birds that are natural monuments, like the endangered black-faced spoonbill.
Additionally, the National Heritage Administration will announce the “National Heritage Charter” on this day. Based on the revised Cultural Heritage Charter of 2020, it newly reflects the basic ideology and future value of transitioning to a national heritage system. A representative stated, “It is meaningful to announce it on the first National Heritage Day.”
National Heritage Day, December 9, commemorates the date when Seokguram Grotto, Bulguksa Temple, Haeinsa Temple Janggyeong Panjeon, and Jongmyo Shrine were listed as Korea’s first UNESCO World Heritage sites, aiming to raise awareness about national heritage protection.