Ambivalence of Intangible Cultural Heritage System －On Kimchi and Kimjang Culture－

This article aims to explain and analyze the ambivalence of ICH Institution of ROK and UNESCO based on the folk culture theory. Many folklorists in Korea and Western Europe have criticized ICH institution for fixing and standardizing of ICH. They argued that ICH must be living ICH only with help of the subjects of transmission. Social subjects must participate in the transmission process.This arguments are criticized in this article on the grounds that the ambivalence of ICH institution was neglected. Till now it is argued generally that the institution standardize ICH with systematized hegemony, but I think that the institutionalization of ICH in the modern world is indispensible. This process, however, prevent the interruption of ICH and promote the minimal livingness of ICH. And this process enables ICH to evolve in the folk world. The ICH institution relate with system world and folk world simultaneously.The list up process of Kimchi culture was not working smoothly. Kimchi culture was not selected wholly, of which Kimchang culture was listed up partially. This process says that the UNESCO list up process is also named as bureaucratic system and confine ICH in the system barn. However it can not be estimated negatively. Economically systematized ICH can be used as a product and politically systematized ICH bring nation communal identities. ICH system can develop diverse ICH in the folk world.Not only the free will of the subject of transmission, but also the cultural values are important for the preservation and sustainable development of ICH. I think the outstanding universal value, authenticity, integrity of world heritage can be also found in ICH.