Cultural Preservation Facility Planned

A “hospital” for cultural properties that will diagnose, repair, and restore, damage to cultural assets will be established in 2008, the Ministry of Planning and Budget (MPB) said yesterday.

The ministry will build a facility committed to the above functions within the National Research Institute of Cultural Properties (NRICP). Two billion won for construction costs has been set aside for the project in this year’s budget.

The total working expenses for the facility will be 21.5 billion won, and the building will have four stories and a basement with total floor space of 2,166 pyeong (one pyeong=3.3 square meters).

The facility will repair and restore cultural assets, research and develop restoration technology, and provide cultural property education.

Although 30,000 cultural artifacts are excavated in Korea every year, and around 100 of them are classified as cultural properties, only 13 people are available to manage them. It is hoped that the construction of the facility will alleviate the situation.

The MPB believes that the pollution damage suffered by the 10-story stone pagoda in Gyeongcheonsaji built during the King Chungmok-era in Goryeo Dynasty, and the loss of the copper bell at Naksan Temple made during the King Yejong era in the Joseon Dynasty to a forest fire, were both caused by problems in the country’s cultural property management system.

The construction of the general facility for cultural assets is expected to drastically increase the ratio of cultural properties under management, which is currently 0.3 percent.

In addition, the government will also handle cultural assets in the possession of individuals.

Korea will save money by not having to pay for preservation expertise if it is able to acquire its own preservation technology through research and development.

“It takes a long time to protect cultural properties and costs a great deal, so it is difficult for civilians to do so,” said Social Public Expenditure Planning Bureau director general Suh Byong-hoon. He cited that as one of the main reasons why the MPB has decided to build a cultural artifact repair and restoration facility at the national level.

legman@donga.com