A Study on the Background of Cultural Conflicts Between Korea and China Relating to Gayageum Being Placed on UNESCO World Intangible Heritage List - Focused on the History of Succession of Gayageum in South Korea, China, and North Korea -

This paper is the study about the background and cause of cultural conflicts between Korea and China related to listing of gayageum, which is the cultural heritage shared in two contries, on the UNESCO World Heritage List and about how to solve these conflicts. Since the diplomatic relations began in 1992, Korea and China have accomplished a remarkable achievement in the fields of politics, economy, and culture through various exchanges and cooperation during the past 20 years.However, the Korea-China Cultural Conflict originated by the China s Northeast Project in 2002 are being expanded to the aspect of the culture war between Korea and China, showing the aspects of cross-country competition, listing the Dano festival in Gangreung on the UNESCO in 2005, the Dance of the Korean Farmers living in China opposed to Nongak of Koreans’ living in China in 2006, and relisting Chinese Acupuncture according to the listing of Tonguibogam of Korea in 2009.Being placed on the UNESCO World Heritage List leads national pride inspiring as improving the image according to international certification about domestic cultural heritage, tourist industry development, securing the identity of national culture and effect of economic development. Therefore, UNESCO member nations show appearance to try to be preoccupy and list cultural heritage which is shared by neighboring nations in UNESCO as national cultural heritage. So, this leads to cultural conflicts between countries surrounding the UNESCO listed.Meanwhile, the conflicts between Korea and China reached an apex, China designating Arirang, Pansori, and gayageum as national important intangible cultural properties in 2011. However, Pansori had been already placed in UNESCO World Heritage List by Korea in 2003. And China got to announce it had no right and intension to request Arirang as its own cultural heritage, thanks to Korean resistance and efforts in 2012. Now, this last one, the right for gayageum art to belong on the World Heritage List, having been shared by two countries is a controversial issue which can cause cultural conflicts between these two countries.The problem is that legitimacy of gayageum art was started in Yanbian in China. The founder of gayageum sanjo, Kim Chanjo who is a Korean, bequeathed his art to An Giok, who lived in North Korea and she passed on this art to Kim Jin, who lived in Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China. Therefore, it is possibile for China to insist its right about its claim to ownership of gayageum sanjo.Also, it should be noted that it is possible for China to get to have the initiative about this instrument in the international community because the gayageum art which China designates as its national material heritage is a concept which is in any way related to gayageum, including the performance, the style of playing, the improvement of instruments, and history.Although gayageum sanjo was originated by Kim Chanjo and was geographically passed on to Yanbian in China, the place where the current 12 strings gayageum music has full-vitally performed is Korea, keeping the originality. In addition, Korea already asked UNESCO to place gayageum sanjo on the World Intangible Heritage List in 2011, while China has not established the originality and authenticity in accurate categories of gayageum sanjo. Therefore, Korea must promote UNESCO preoccupation listing of gayageum sanjo which Korea applied listing in 2011, so Korea can complete the listing on the World Intangible Heritage List as a Korea Cultural Worth till 2013, most priorly setting as a UNESCO listing strategy event.