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Korea Herald
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Korea celebrates first National Gugak Day, with diverse festival
'Gugak is core pillar of K-culture', says Minister Yu In-chon South Korea officially marked its first-ever National Gugak Day on June 5 with a series of cultural events designed to spotlight the continued relevance of traditional Korean music. Declared by Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Yu In-chon during a commemorative ceremony at Gyeongbokgung, the new national day aims to bridge the past and present by raising public interest in gugak and activating the gugak-centered cultural industry. 'To promote gugak, revitalize its cultural industries, and elevate public awareness, we declare June 5 as National Gugak Day,' said the minister in his speech. 'With the enactment of the Gugak Promotion Act and the inaugural celebration today, I believe we've reached a significant milestone in the history of gugak.' He continued, 'Gugak has accompanied our lives for centuries, present at every moment of joy, sorrow and celebration. It has been preserved and developed across generations, arriving here today. Its growing global popularity as a core pillar of K-culture is thanks to the dedication of those who have quietly upheld its traditions.' Yu, now serving his second term as culture minister, also took a personal moment during the ceremony, noting that this would likely be his final official appearance before stepping down following the recent change in government. 'This may be the last time I address you at an official event like this. My heart is full of gratitude and emotion,' he said. June 5 was chosen for National Gugak Day to commemorate the first official record of yeominrak, meaning 'music enjoyed by the people,' which appeared in the Annals of King Sejong on this date in 1447. The day encapsulates the ethos of shared cultural heritage and aims to invite all citizens to appreciate and participate in Korea's traditional performing arts. To mark National Gugak Day and the broader Gugak Week running from June 5 to 30, a wide array of cultural events is taking place across the country. At Gyeongbokgung Palace's Geunjeongjeon Hall, audiences can experience a commemorative performance titled "Sound of the Heavens, Music of King Sejong (Sejongjo Hoerye-yeon)," while Gwanghwamun Square hosts the Yeominrak Grand Festival, featuring street parades of traditional nongak from six different regions, special performances, and interactive activities. Beyond Seoul, performances, educational programs, hands-on workshops, academic symposia, and conferences are being organized by regional gugak centers and cultural foundations nationwide, offering opportunities for the public to engage with Korea's traditional music heritage.
Korea Herald
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Korea and France mark 140 years with new cultural cooperation agreement
South Korea and France are set to mark a milestone year in cultural exchanges. To celebrate the 140th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two nations, Korean Culture Minister Yu In-chon and French Culture Minister Rachida Dati on Tuesday signed a Letter of Intention on Cultural Cooperation in Paris. The agreement is expected to usher in another year rich with cultural engagement, building on a landmark moment in 2015–16 when the Year of Korea-France Bilateral Exchange was held to commemorate 130 years of relations. Endorsed by both heads of state, the initiative featured a record 492 official events -- 389 in the cultural field alone -- significantly strengthening the bilateral partnership, according to the cultural ministry. Building on the foundation of the 1965 Korea-France Cultural, Technological and Scientific Agreement, the new agreement outlines more specific areas and methods of cooperation, Korea's Culture Ministry said in a statement Tuesday. It aims to deepen institutional ties between cultural, artistic, and heritage organizations in both countries, facilitate the joint production, performance, exhibition, and promotion of artistic works, and support collaboration in the film, audiovisual content and gaming industries. The agreement also reflects both nations' shared commitment to protecting and enhancing access to cultural, intangible, and natural heritage. By articulating clearer goals and responsibilities than previous frameworks, the LOI seeks to increase the effectiveness and visibility of Korea-France cultural cooperation. Celebratory events are scheduled throughout the year, beginning with a special anniversary event on June 4. Korea will also participate as Guest of Honor at the Paris Book Fair and be featured in a Korea Focus program at the upcoming Avignon Festival. These events are designed to spotlight the growing presence and influence of Korean culture in France. In addition to high-profile events in Paris and Avignon, efforts are underway to expand cultural outreach beyond the capital. The ministry is working with local governments and cultural institutions in regional cities including Tours, Nantes, Montpellier, and Toulouse to host Korean cultural festivals. These events will introduce a wide range of Korean cultural content to communities that may have fewer opportunities to engage with Korean culture. By targeting cultural hubs outside Paris, the initiative aims to create a more balanced and inclusive exchange between the two countries. Korean Culture Minister Yu In-chon emphasized the historic and ongoing importance of Korea-France relations, referring to France as a friend that has stood by Korea for over 140 years since the signing of the 1886 Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Navigation. He also highlighted France's status as a cultural superpower and the most visited country in the world, noting its leadership in heritage preservation and the arts. At the same time, he pointed to the remarkable rise of Korean pop culture in France, citing the rapid sell-outs of K-pop concerts and the success of the Korean drama "A Shoulder to Cry On," which recently ranked No. 1 on Netflix in France. These trends, he said, underscore the growing enthusiasm in France for Korean creative content and the potential for deeper collaboration. 'The signing of this LOI marks not only a celebration of the past 140 years but a forward-looking commitment to ensuring that our citizens can continue to engage meaningfully with one another's cultures,' Yu said. 'We plan to create a rich program of cultural exchange that people in both countries can directly experience and enjoy.'
Korea Herald
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Culture Minister Yu In-chon to head delegation to pope inauguration Sunday
Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Yu In-chon will lead the South Korean delegation to the formal inauguration Mass of Pope Leo XIV at St. Peter's Square in Vatican City on Sunday. Yu will attend the ceremony alongside South Korea's ambassador to the Holy See, Oh Hyun-joo, joining representatives and religious leaders from some 200 countries. Notable attendees include US Vice President JD Vance, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Britain's Prince Edward. Separately, prominent Korean Catholic leaders will be in attendance. They are Cardinal Andrew Yeom Soo-jung, former archbishop of Seoul; Bishop Mathias Lee Yong-hoon, president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea; and Seoul Archbishop Peter Chung Soon-taick. They will be joined by Cardinal Lazarus You Heung-sik, the Vatican's prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy. Meanwhile, Pope Leo XIV, the first pontiff from the United States, presided over his first Mass on Friday, pledging to lead a humble church open to 'ordinary people.' His emphasis on advocating for the poor, migrants and women deacons — principles embraced by the late Pope Francis — signaling the potential for continuing tension with conservative traditionalists during his papacy.
Korea Herald
19-03-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Gwangju's battle to restore historic landmark nearly over
GWANGJU -- In the heart of Gwangju, a decade-long struggle to preserve a site of immense historical significance is finally nearing its conclusion. The former South Jeolla Provincial Office, a key landmark of the 1980 Gwangju Democratic Uprising, was partially demolished in 2015 before protests halted its destruction. Now, after years of fierce opposition, discussions and even a fire that threatened to derail restoration efforts, the project is set to be completed in the second half of 2025. Among those who fought tirelessly to protect the building are the mothers of those who lost their lives during the pro-democracy movement. In protest, those opposed to the demolition, including the members of the Mothers of May, the mothers of those who died in the Gwangju Uprising, shaved their heads, held demonstrations and mobilized public pressure to halt the demolition. Their efforts eventually led to a reversal of government plans and the decision to restore the annex instead of removing it. In 2023, the restoration process started in earnest. On Feb. 11, Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Yu In-chon met with the representatives of the Guardians of the Former South Jeolla Provincial Office Restoration, who are family members of the victims who lost their lives during the Gwangju Pro-democracy Movement. 'It's been 10 years. When we first started this, we did not expect to take this long. ... In the meantime, we shaved our heads and went on a hunger strike,' Chu Hye-seong, the leader of Mothers of May, also a member of the Guardians, told Yu, urging him to closely oversee the restoration process. Chu's husband suffered from illnesses caused by torture inflicted on him during the uprising. "Right now, our priority is restoration. Once it's completed later this year, we will focus on transforming the venue into a museum dedicated to democratic movements and history. We will make great efforts to develop meaningful content to fill this space," Yu stated. The demolition was initially intended to help the city move forward from its painful past while creating a new symbol of cultural progress with the establishment of the Asia Culture Center. The ACC, now renamed National Asian Culture Center, opened in 2015. It was envisioned as a major hub for Asian arts, cultural exchange and creative industries, to bring contemporary art exhibitions, performances and research institutes to Gwangju. The demolished part — 24 meters out of the 54-meter-long annex — was supposed to serve as the new gate for the modern culture center. After years of debates, a consensus was reached to restore the original form as a reminder of what it costs to keep the nation's democracy. In October 2023, the government announced a plan to restore the six designated buildings — including the main and annex buildings of the former South Jeolla Provincial Office, the government conference room, the main and civil affairs office of the Provincial Police Headquarters, and Sangmugwan Hall — to their original state in May 1980. The interior and exterior structures, as well as the connecting passageways, were to be restored. When completed, the Main Building will showcase the 10-day struggle from May 18 to May 27, 1980; the Provincial Police Headquarters will focus on the stories of citizens who participated in the uprising. Sangmugwan Hall, which temporarily housed the bodies of victims during the Gwangju Uprising, will serve as a permanent memorial space. This location is also central to Nobel Prize winner Han Kang's novel "Human Acts," which powerfully depicts the trauma, resilience and suffering of those involved in the uprising. The novel's harrowing accounts of victims' bodies being temporarily laid in Sangmugwan have been instrumental in raising global awareness of the historical significance of this site. Mothers of May Meanwhile, as the Mothers of May await the completion of the restoration later this year, they have found a new path to healing in recent years: singing. Since 2022, all 15 members have participated in "Songs of the Mothers of May," a performance that transforms 40 years of grief and longing into music. They have performed at the ACC in Gwangju and across the country. In May and June of last year, the group commemorated both Jeju's 4.3 Incident and Seoul's June 10 Democratic Protest. Jeju's 4.3 Incident refers to the state-led massacre that took place on Jeju Island between April 3, 1948, and 1954, during which tens of thousands of civilians were killed amid the government's suppression of an alleged communist insurgency. Seoul's June 10 Democratic Protest in 1987 was a pivotal moment in South Korea's fight for democracy, as mass demonstrations against the military regime led to direct presidential elections and the country's transition to democratic rule. 'We started the performances to tell our stories through singing. Now that we're getting older and there isn't a sufficient budget, we cannot do as much as we hoped. For this year, we will perform once in Gwangju and once in Japan in June, and we will make some changes,' Chu said.
Korea Herald
06-03-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
Culture Ministry unveils long-term plan aimed to meet societal changes
Cultural initiatives to address regional imbalance, shrinking population, economic challenges The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on Thursday unveiled a long-term plan called "Culture Korea 2035" that lays out guidelines for policies going forward. The comprehensive plan with 30 key initiatives is aimed at responding to the rapidly changing environment, a shrinking and aging population and growing non-Korean demographics, the ministry said. Additionally, the ministry seeks ways to leverage Korean content to drive the country's economy while also vowing to utilize cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence and extended reality. 'It's a complex time and we debated whether it is appropriate. However, members of the ministry arrived at a consensus for a long-term vision and joined forces in creating this vision. I hope there won't be big changes (in the long-term vision),' Culture Minister Yu In-chon told reporters at a press conference Thursday. "In response to these evolving demands and circumstances, we must reflect on what actions to take now to shape a future where the values of 'creativity and innovation,' 'diversity and inclusivity' and 'openness and integration' in culture extend beyond individuals to society, the economy, regions and the world," Yu said. A key priority is achieving regional balance by strengthening cultural activities in underserved areas, according to the ministry. One proposed measure is relocating state arts companies outside of Seoul. The first step in this initiative will be the relocation of the Seoul Performing Arts Company to Gwangju next year, where it will become the resident art troupe of the National Asian Culture Center. This was a step back from an earlier position Wednesday when Yu told a session of the National Assembly Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee that SPAC would be moved to Gwangju within this year. Additionally, four national youth arts organizations in four areas, including Korean dance, will be established outside of Seoul and operate in collaboration with local cultural institutions, in an effort to promote decentralizaiton of cultural activities. The relocation of public cultural institutions will be implemented step by step, the ministry said, taking into consideration factors such as facility construction, alignment with Korea's designated cultural cities, regional specialization strategies and benefits expected from relocation. Through these initiatives, the ministry hopes to create a model where the central and regional governments can work together, involving regional governments in cultural acitivities and policies. Despite stalled inter-Korean relations, the ministry plans to review and create an archive of the past 35 years of cultural cooperation between the two Koreas. In the content sector, a series of large-scale projects will be launched to shape the next 30 years, including the development of a K-Content Culture Complex, a National Video Museum, a Hall of Fame for Popular Culture and Arts and a Game Complex. The ministry noted there is a need to expand leisure facilities nationwide and promote community sports, while considering the preferences and needs of policy beneficiaries, including children and the elderly. The ministry also recognized South Korea's transition into a multicultural society, with 6.8 percent of the total population having immigrant backgrounds, and emphasized the need to incorporate cultural differences and diversity into policymaking. Contrary to expectations, the plan did not include the administrative integration of five national arts groups, a proposal that sparked controversy after it was leaked last month. Yu reaffirmed that the plan would be scrapped if opposition remains strong, but emphasized that the ministry would continue discussions with the organizations going forward.
