From Anti-Yusin Declaration to Dokgotak Manuscript… Six Modern Cultural Artifacts Designated as 'Preliminary Cultural Heritage'

Artifacts showcasing pivotal moments in South Korean modern history and the trajectory of popular culture are now being included in the government's official protection system.

The National Heritage Service announced on the 11th the final selection of six modern and contemporary movable cultural heritage items as 'Preliminary Cultural Heritage,' including the "Busan-Masan Democratic Uprising Democratic Struggle Declaration." Preliminary Cultural Heritage is a system designed to proactively discover and preserve artifacts less than 50 years old that possess high historical and cultural value.

The artifacts selected this time consist of historical materials documenting Korean modern history from various fields including democratization movements, popular culture, sports, and art.

Record of Resistance to Yusin… Two Historical Documents from Busan-Masan Uprising Selected

The most notable artifact is a historical record from the 1979 Busan-Masan Democratic Uprising that resisted the Yusin dictatorship. The "Busan-Masan Democratic Uprising Democratic Struggle Declaration" is an original document created and distributed on October 15, 1979, to announce a protest at Busan National University, a rare historical material that has been preserved by Shin Jae-sik, its author.

Also designated is "Kim Tack-yong's Reporting Notes," a reporting notebook documenting the uprising in the Masan area from October 18 to 21 by Kim Tack-yong, a Masan-based reporter for the Busan Ilbo at the time. The material was valued for its documentation of the actual conditions of the Masan Uprising, which had relatively sparse historical records.

From Dokgotak Cartoon Manuscript to Inter-Korean Unified Team Commemorative Items

In the popular culture sector, the cartoon manuscript and TV animation screenplay of "Dove Chorus," a representative work from the "Dokgotak" series by late cartoonist Lee Sang-mu, have been included. The work is highly valued as a major artifact in Korean comics history for depicting the daily life and family portrait of Korean urban working-class people in the 1970s and 1980s.

Additionally selected were "climbing equipment and materials" belonging to the late General Kim Hong-bin, the first person with a disability to summit all 14 eight-thousanders in the Himalayas; "series of figures and related personal belongings" by late artist Lee Eung-no, which express the dynamism of the people; and "41st Chiba World Table Tennis Championships Inter-Korean Unified Team Commemorative Items" commemorating the first inter-Korean unified team's victory in 1991.

An official from the National Heritage Service stated, "The purpose is to discover the value of artifacts less than 50 years old before they are damaged and pass them on to future generations," adding "We plan to continue discovering modern and contemporary heritage closely related to the lives of our people."

To commemorate this selection of Preliminary Cultural Heritage, the National Heritage Service will hold a photo exhibition titled "Record of Our Lives, Heritage of the Future" from the 23rd through December 6 at the National Palace Museum of Korea in Jongno-gu, Seoul.