`Local Cultural Resources of Korea` published

A book about local cultural resources has been published recently, timed with the opening of the ¡°Year of Regional Culture¡± designated by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

¡°Local Cultural Resources of Korea,¡± compiled by the Federation of Korean Cultural Center (KCCF), in particular, is the 21st century version of ¡°Dongguk Yojiseungram,¡± a geographical book published in 1481 during the Choson period.

The book, with six volumes of double duodecimo in a total of 2,600 pages, carries contents in details about the history, culture and geography of each of 232 city wards, or ¡°gu,¡± and counties, or ¡°gun,¡± nationwide.

The book states that all the manuscripts were written directly by people active in their respective hometowns such as local cultural center staff, professors and local historians.

Compared to ordinary tourism guide books, the book contains the status quo of each region, such as population and size and information about historical figures, cultural remains, tales handed down orally, special cuisine, souvenirs, local special products, cultural and artistic organizations, and artistic events and local artists. The book also carries maps and about 10 pictures.

The KCCF, headed by Lee Su-Hong, said that it set a goal of inheriting the spirit of compiling the ¡°Dongguk Yojiseungram¡± in publishing the book.

The preface of the Choson Kingdom¡¯s book asked that future generations inherit the tradition, saying, ¡°What was inherited is different from what was reformed, so publish new editions with additions and up-to-date corrections in the future.¡± However, after only one new edition was issued in 1530, the work of collecting the local cultural resources through the publication of human geography books was suspended for more than 470 years.

Therefore, the publication of ¡°Local Cultural Resources of Korea¡± has meaning in that it revives the spirit of the ¡°Dongguk Yojiseungram¡± compilation.

The KCCF plans to distribute the book, which is not for sale, to cultural centers and public and private libraries across the nation, so that people interested in local culture can read it with ease. It also produced a CD-ROM version and created a database at its Internet site (www.kccf.or.kr).

¡°We received subsidies from the Korean Broadcasting Commission and the Korean Culture and Arts Foundation, but it is meaningful that the civilian sector collected the cultural and artistic materials itself,¡± KCCF chairman Lee said. ¡°I hope that this book will be helpful to reminding people who left their hometowns of their childhood there and to having young generations living in local districts take pride of their hometowns.¡±

Kim Cha-Su kimcs@donga.com