Cultural heritage

Cultural heritage (문화유산/文化遺産) is the legacy of physical artifacts (cultural property) and intangible attributes of a group or society that are inherited from past generations, maintained in the present and bestowed for the benefit of future generations.

Cultural heritage includes:
 * Tangible culture: historic buildings, monuments, landscapes, books, works of art, and artifacts;
 * Intangible culture: folklore, traditions, language, and knowledge; and
 * Natural heritage: culturally significant landscapes, and biodiversity.

Cultural heritage is unique and irreplaceable, which places the responsibility of preservation on the current generation. Smaller objects such as artworks and other cultural masterpieces are collected in museums and art galleries. Grass roots organizations and political groups, such as the international body UNESCO, have been successful at gaining the necessary support to preserve the heritage of many nations for the future.

Key words
cultural heritage, cultural property, treasure, intangible cultural heritage, UNESCO

UNESCO World Heritage Sites
UNESCO has inscribed the following Korean cultural heritage as the World Heritage Site (listing year):
 * Jongmyo Shrine (종묘, 1995)
 * Bulguksa (불국사 석굴암, 1995)
 * Tripitaka Koreana (팔만대장경/八萬大藏經) and Haeinsa (해인사, 1995)
 * Changdeokgung (창덕궁, 1997)
 * Hwaseong (화성, 1997)
 * Gochang, Hwasun and Ganghwa Dolmen sites (고창 화순 강화 고인돌유적, 2000)
 * Gyeongju Area (경주역사유적, 2000)
 * Complex of Goguryeo Tombs (고구려 고분군, 2009) located in China
 * Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty (조선왕릉, 2009)
 * Historic Villages of Korea: Hahoe and Yangdong (하회 양동의 역사마을, 2010)
 * Tentative List

UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
UNESCO has listed the followings as "Inscribed Korean Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity":
 * Royal Ancestral Rite and Ritual Music of Jongmyo Shrine (종묘제례 및 종묘제례악, 2001)
 * Pansori Epic Chant (판소리, 2003)
 * Gangneung Danoje Festival (강릉 단오제, 2005)
 * Ganggangsullae Circle Dance (강강술래, 2009)
 * Namsadang Vagabond Clowns' Play (남사당놀이, 2009)
 * Rites of Vulture Peak (영산재, 2009)
 * Jeju Rites for Goddess of Wind (제주 칠머리당 영동굿, 2009)
 * Dance of Cheoyong (처용무, 2009)
 * Gagok, lyric song cycles accompanied by an orchestra (가곡, 2010)
 * Daemokjang, traditional wooden architecture (대목장, 2010)
 * Falconry (매사냥, 2010)
 * Jultagi, tightrope walking (줄타기, 2011)
 * Taekkyeon, a traditional Korean martial art (택견, 2011)
 * Weaving of Mosi (fine ramie) in the Hansan region (한산 모시짜기, 2011)
 * Arirang (아리랑, 2012)
 * Kimjang (김장, 2013)

Of late, Arirang, which is the Korean signature folk song, has finally been listed on the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage made the decision at a meeting in Paris on December 6, 2012.

UNESCO praised the Korean government's efforts to protect intangible cultural assets, and solicit participation of researchers and scholars across disciplines in the application process.

The Cultural Heritage Administration announced a five-year plan to promote and preserve "Arirang" staring 2013. It will allocate 33.6 billion won (equivalent to US$31 million) to build an archive devoted to the song, hold exhibitions, fund research, and support "Arirang" festivals by regional organizations.

Seoul applied for UNESCO listing of all versions of "Arirang" in Korea ending with the words "Arirang, Arirang, Arariyo," but not necessarily the regional variations. According to American missionary Homer Hulbert in 1896, "Arirang" was a song that expressed all Korean people's feelings from joy and anger to sorrow and happiness, and even children sang it everywhere.

UNESCO Memory of the World

 * The Hunmin Jeongeum Manuscript (훈민정음, 1997)
 * The Annals of the Joseon Dynasty (조선왕조실록, 1997)
 * Baegun hwasang chorok buljo jikji simche yojeol (vol.II), the second volume of "Anthology of Great Buddhist Priests' Zen Teachings" (직지심체요절, 2001)
 * Seungjeongwon Ilgi, the Diaries of the Royal Secretariat (승정원일기, 2001)
 * Uigwe, the Royal Protocols of the Joseon Dynasty (의궤, 2007)
 * Printing woodblocks of the Tripitaka Koreana and miscellaneous Buddhist scriptures (해인사 대장경판 및 제경판, 2007)
 * Donguibogam, Principles and Practice of Eastern Medicine (동의보감, 2009)
 * Ilseongnok Records of Daily Reflections (일성록, 2011)
 * Human Rights Documentary Heritage 1980 Archives for the May 18th Democratic Uprising against Military Regime, in Gwangju, Republic of Korea (5.18 민주화운동 기록물, 2011)

Statutory ground
UNESCO designation as a World Heritage Site provides prima facie evidence that such culturally sensitive sites are legally protected pursuant to the Law of War, under the Geneva Convention, its Articles, Protocols and Customs, together with other treaties including the Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict and international law.

Article 53 (Protection of Cultural Objects and of Places of Worship) of the Geneva Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage promulgates: Without prejudice to the provisions of the Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict of 14 May 1954, and of other relevant international instruments, it is prohibited:
 * (a) To commit any acts of hostility directed against the historic monuments, works of art or places of worship which constitute the cultural or spiritual heritage of peoples;
 * (b) To use such objects in support of the military effort;
 * (c) To make such objects the object of reprisals.

In Korea, the Cultural Properties Protection Act (문화재보호법) defines "Cultural Heritage" (문화재/文化財) as national, ethnic or world heritage of historic, artistic, scientific or scenic value formulated artificially or naturally, which is classified as follows:
 * Tangible Cultural Heritagy (유형문화재): National Treasure (국보/國寶) or Treasure (보물/寶物) among 건조물, 전적(典籍), 서적(書跡), 고문서, 회화, 조각, 공예품 등 유형의 문화적 소산으로서 역사적·예술적 또는 학술적 가치가 큰 것과 이에 준하는 고고자료(考古資料)
 * Intangible Cultural Heritagy (무형문화재): 연극, 음악, 무용, 놀이, 의식, 공예기술 등 무형의 문화적 소산으로서 역사적·예술적 또는 학술적 가치가 큰 것
 * Monuments (기념물)
 * Historic Monument (역사기념물): 절터, 옛무덤, 조개무덤, 성터, 궁터, 가마터, 유물포함층 등의 사적지(史蹟地)와 특별히 기념이 될 만한 시설물로서 역사적·학술적 가치가 큰 것
 * Scenic Site: 경치 좋은 곳으로서 예술적 가치가 크고 경관이 뛰어난 것
 * Natural Monument (천연기념물): 동물(그 서식지, 번식지, 도래지를 포함한다), 식물(그 자생지를 포함한다), 지형, 지질, 광물, 동굴, 생물학적 생성물 또는 특별한 자연현상으로서 역사적·경관적 또는 학술적 가치가 큰 것


 * Folklore Cultural Materials (민속문화재): 의식주, 생업, 신앙, 연중행사 등에 관한 풍속이나 관습과 이에 사용되는 의복, 기구, 가옥 등으로서 국민생활의 변화를 이해하는 데 반드시 필요한 것
 * State/Municipality-designated Cultural Heritage: 국가지정문화재(문화재청장 지정), 시·도지정문화재(특별시장·광역시장·도지사 또는 특별자치도지사 지정), 문화재자료
 * Registered Cultural Heritagy (등록문화재): Cultural properties other than the State/Municipality-designated cultural properties, which are registered by the Cultural Heritagy Administration (문화재청).
 * Conservation Area (보호구역): 지상에 고정되어 있는 유형물이나 일정한 지역이 문화재로 지정된 경우에 해당 지정문화재의 점유 면적을 제외한 지역으로서 그 지정문화재를 보호하기 위하여 지정된 구역
 * Conserved Object (보호물): 문화재를 보호하기 위하여 지정한 건물이나 시설물
 * Historical and Cultural Environment (역사문화환경): 문화재 주변의 자연경관이나 역사적·문화적인 가치가 뛰어난 공간으로서 문화재와 함께 보호할 필요성이 있는 주변 환경

The Cultural Heritagy Protection Act has declared it as the principle of preservation of the cultural properties to preserve the original state in conserving, managing and using the cultural properties. Article 3.