A Study on Transformation of Korea’s Intangible Cultural Heritage System: With Emphasis on Cultural Heritage Protection Act

The purpose of this research is to examine transformation of Korea’s Intangible Cultural Heritage System with an emphasis on Cultural Heritage Protection Act. The scope of research is limited to Cultural Heritage Protection Act, encompassing the period from the preparation of the Act’s establishment to 2015 when the Act was actually established in a longitudinal perspective. For the purpose of analysis, the period was divided into 4 periods including the Period of Establishment, the Period of Development, the Period of Takeoff, and the Period of Transformation.During the first period -The Period of Establishment (1955-1969)-, such systems as designation of national intangible cultural properties, payment of subsidy for transmission activities, and mandatory disclosure of cultural heritage holders were introduced. During the second period -The Period of Development (1970-1989)-, such diverse systems as obligatory recognition of the cultural heritage holders, local cultural heritage system, recognition system of holder organizations, obligatory system of transmission education, and transmission education assistant system were newly established for transmission of intangible cultural heritage. During the third period -The Period of Takeoff (1990-1999)-, ground-breaking institutional reforms were carried out such as empowerment of cultural heritage holders and streamlining of transmission education system. The fourth period -The Period of Transformation (2000-2015)- was characterized by such innovations as introduction of honorary cultural heritage holders, recognition of transmitted intangible cultural heritage located in North Korea as part of municipal and provincial intangible cultural heritage, and modification of the obligatory recognition system of cultural heritage holders, which were intended to comply with the global standard.As can be seen in the above description, from 1950s to the mid-2010s, Korea’s Intangible Cultural Heritage System was established and developed on the basis of Cultural Heritage Protection Act. And with the implementation of Intangible Cultural Heritage Act in 2016, the transformation of Korea’s Intangible Cultural Heritage System is faced with a new turning point.