UNESCO Heritages
 |
 |
 |
Annals of the Joseon Dynasty / April 19 Revolution / Archives of Saemaul Undong / Archives of the National Debt Redemption Movement / Confucian Printing Woodblocks / Donguibogam / Donghak Peasant Revolution /
Hunminjeongeum / Ilseongnok / Jikjisimcheyojeol / Joseon Tongsinsa Records / May 18th Democratic Uprising / Nanjungilgi / Royal Seal and Investiture Book Collection of the Joseon Dynasty / Seungjeongwon Ilgi /
The KBS Archives of Finding Disperssed Families / The Royal Protocols of the Joseon Dynasty / Tripitaka Koreana
Hunminjeongeum (Proper Sound to Instruct the People)
Hunminjeongeum was an alphabet formed of 28 letters. Today's Hangeul uses only 24 of these, having dropped four. Hangeul was invented in 1443 by King Sejong. His invention principle of Hangeul is expressed in his book Hunminjeongum. "The spoken language of our country is different from that of China and Chinese characters are incapable of capturing uniquely Korean meanings. Therefore, many common people have no way to express their thoughts and feelings in writing. Out of my sympathy for their difficulties, I have made a set of twenty eight letters. The letters are very easy to learn and it is my fervent hope that everyone practices them at their ease, and adapts them to their daily use". Hangeul has 24 basic letters of 10 vowels and 14 consonants. The Hangeul is vertically and horizontally symmetrical and systematic in sound by adopting the ligature principle, which is adding lines to strengthen the sound and combining consonants and vowels.The form of each consonant is based on the shape of the vocal organs used to produce them. At first, the basic consonants were ㄴ, ㅁ, ㅅ, ㅇ, ㄱ. This corresponds with the five main linguistic groups, velar, alveolar, bilabial, dental and glottal. Other 12 consonants were created by adding dots or lines, using the system to strengthen the sound in the same linguistic groups of consonants the same vocal organ. The total number of combination letters of Hangeul is 11,172 from 가 to 힣. The publication of such a unique book with such excellent content in 1446 is without doubt an historic event. How fortunate it is that even one copy of this work has been handed down to us just as it was. These are the reasons why is Hunminjeongeum is not only a Korean national treasure but an achievement which must be preserved forever as a legacy of world culture.
Tripitaka Koreana
Its religious significance aside, the Tripitaka Koreana preserved in impeccable condition testifies to the outstanding achievements of medieval Koreans in science and technology, especially printing and publishing. The Sanskrit "Tripitaka"(Pali:Tipitaka) means "three collections" or "three baskets," referring to the Buddhist canon in its entirety up to the time of compilation. It consists of regulations of monastic life (Vinaya-pitaka), discourses with the Buddha (Sutta-pitaka) and commentaries on the sutras by renowned monks and scholars (Abhidhamma-pitaka).
Known in Korean as Goryeo Daejanggyeong (Great Collection of Scriptures of Goryeo) and Palman Daejanggyeong (Great Collection of Scriptures in Eighty Thousand Blocks), the Tripitaka Koreana is recognized as the finest some 30 East Asian versions of the Buddhist canon in Chinese script in terms of comprehensiveness, accuracy, beauty of calligraphic style and carving. The Tripitaka Koreana comprises 6,802 volumes under 1,511 titles, including the latest writings by eminent Korean monks as well. The accuracy of its content is due largely to the great effort of National Preceptor Sugi, who thoroughly studied various texts extant at the time to correct errors and add missing characters.
The woodblocks of the Tripitaka Koreana have defied time and the elements, surviving the ravages of war and internal turmoil over the last seven centuries. Today, the Tripitaka is one of Korea's most prized cultural treasures, transcending religious barriers. Its religious significance aside, the massive canon preserved in impeccable condition testifies to the outstanding achievements of medieval Koreans in science and technology, especially printing and publishing.
The Tripitaka Koreana was compiled over a period of 16 years from 1236 to 1251 under the command of King Gojong of the Goryeo Dynasty, who sought to solicit the mercy of the Buddha to expel the brutal Mongol invaders. The printing blocks of the Tripitaka Koreana were fashioned from birch wood, available in abundance on the islands off the south coast. The wood was painstakingly processed to weatherproof rain and retard decay. First, the wood was soaked in seawater for three years, then cut into blocks and boiled in salt water. They were then dried in the shade, exposed to winds, for another three years before planning the surface smooth. Then the elaborate work of writing and carving began. After the text was engraved, the blocks were given a poisonous lacquer coating to repel harmful insects and each corner was reinforced with metal to prevent warping. The printing blocks are some 70cm wide, 24cm long and 2.8cm thick on the average. Each block has 23 lines of text, each with 14 characters, on each side. Each block thus has a total of 644 characters on both sides. Some 30 men carved the total of 52,382,960 characters in the clean and simple style of Song Chinese master calligrapher Ou-yang Hsun, which was widely favored by the aristocratic elites of Goryeo.
The carvers worked with incredible dedication and precision without making a single error. They are said to have knelt down and bowed after carving each character. The script is so uniform from beginning to end that the woodblocks look like the work of one person.
Carving was done mostly at the head offices for the compilation of the canon at Sonwonsa temple on Ganghwado, an island off the west coast, where the Goryeo court had its wartime capital. Historic records say that a special service was observed at Sonwonsa to celebrate the completion of the Tripitaka, with the king participating. The printing blocks were housed at the temple for a century and a half until they were moved to Haeinsa in 1398, shortly after the founding of the Joseon Dynasty, due to the frequent pillaging of pirates.
Annals of the Joseon Dynasty
The annals of the Joseon Dynasty comprise 1,893 books covering 472 years (1392 -1863) of the history of the Joseon Dynasty, from the reign of King Taejo, the founder, to the end of the reign of King Cheoljong. Thick extensive set of records is considered to deal with the longest period of a single dynasty of any search records in the world. For their cultural and historic rarity, they deserve world cultural preservation as an invaluable documentary heritage. The Annals of the Joseon Dynasty boast the most extensive works containing the greatest variety of historic facts. By this account, they are evidently the world's most outstanding in size, historic value, richness of content, and every other respect. The contents of these annals are encyclopedic. They include not only general state affair but also diplomacy among neighboring northeast Asian countries, politics, the social system, the economy, religion, astronomical and atmospheric phenomena, geography, music, science, military affairs, transportation, and arts, as well as the modus vivendi of all classes from the royal household to the populace.
When a king died, the annals of his reign were started after the coronation of his successor by the Sillokjeong, the Office for Annals Compilation. Nobody was allowed to read the Draft History, not even the king, and any historiographer who disclosed its contents was severely punished. These strict regulations lend great credibility to these records. The Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, printed with movable type, show the sophisticated status and long tradition of Korean printing.The Joseon Dynasty's Annals of the first three reigns, those of Kings Taejo(r.1392∼1398), Jeongjo (r.1399∼1400), and Taejong(r. 1401∼1418), were in manuscript form in excellent calligraphy. But later annals, from the Annals of King Sejong (r. 1418∼1450), were printed with movable metal and wooden type, which was unprecedented in the making of annals in Japan and China. Movable-type printing of these massive works required elaborate skill.
Donguibogam (Korean medical encyclopedia on oriental medicine)
The addition of the Dong-uibogam, the first medical book added to the UNESCO heritage list, makes it the seventh Korean addition to the UNESCO of Memory of the World. Dong-uibogam was edited in 1613 by famous oriental medicine doctor and court physician Heo Jun (1539-1615) after receiving an order from King Seonjo (1552-1608), the 14th king of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). This book is regarded as a comprehensive medical encyclopedia on oriental medicine in East Asia and has been studied by both students of Oriental and Western medical science. It contains vast knowledge on how to diagnose and treat a number of diseases by using acupuncture, heat stimulation and other oriental medicinal treatments. The designation of Dong-uibogam reflects the book's historic value, its importance as a source of medical knowledge, its contribution to society and world history and its cultural influence.
Jikjisimcheyojeol
Compiled by Priest Baegun in 1372, it contains the essentials of Zen Buddhism. Priest Baegun entered the priesthood when he was young and devoted to religious faith. He was inherited the ideas from Seogok Cheonggong, a Zen (Buddhist Mediation) master, and learned doctrines from Priest Jigonghwasang of India. After returning home from abroad, he stood abreast with National Preceptor Taego Bowoo and Priest Naonghwasang Hyegeun as Royal Mentor. It was printed into the metal type by his students Seokchan and Daldam under the auspices of Myodeok, who was a Buddhist nun, in the seventh lunar month of 1377 at Heungdeoksa Temple of Cheongju city. Jikji comprises historical biographies such as Gyeongdeok jeondeungnok and Seonmun yeomsong, which were to be studied by the student monks after completing the study of the teachings necessary to understand the essence of Zen, including the Buddha's sayings from his last moments, letters of praise, letters and poems on drawings, educational phrases and sentences, songs, writings, orthodox teachings, and dialogues.
It introduced all kinds of literature for providing an understanding of Buddhism, and one hundred and forty-five Priest and Monks of India, China, and Korea are related in the contents of the book. The key words of the title of the name of the book, "jikji simche" were derived from the famous phrase about attaining enlightenment through the practice of Zen, "Jikji insim gyeonseong seongbul" meaning the attainment of an enlightened state by direct appeal to the mind. It also means that when we come to see through Zen what the mind is, then we come to understand that mind to be that of the Buddha. Because human nature is pure from the beginning, when the mind sees that it is pure and practices asceticism, one becomes a part of Buddha and one's mind becomes that of the Buddha. In other words, when one is enlightened through Zen, one's mind becomes the Buddha. The old priest put together a book of high standard by selecting only the essentials of Zen to teach and propagate to pupils.
The circumstances under which the book left Korea were as follows. It had been in the collection of Collin de Plancy, a charg d'affaires with the French Embassy in Seoul in 1887. The book then went into the hands of Henri Vever, a collector of classics, and when he died in 1950, it was donated to the National Library of France, where it has been ever since. Although Buljo jikji simche yojeol consists of two books, the first volume has not been found yet and only the second volume is currently kept at the National Library in France. It originally consists of 39 chapters, of which the first chapter is missing. Although we do not know the year Cheongju Heungdeoksa Temple was built or its size, there is an inscription at the last page that the second volume of Jikji was printed with movable metal type at Cheongju Heungdeoksa Temple 1377. The time was about 70 years earlier than the Gutenberg Bible printed in Germany. It was introduced in one of the articles of the UNESCO Courier in 1972 that the work is the oldest extant example of printing with movable metal type in the printing history of the world. It is the world's oldest movable metal type printing evidence available and shows us an important technical change in printing history of humanity. According to these values, this book was registered as Memory of the World in September 2001.
Seungjeongwon Ilgi
The Seungjeongwon, the Royal Secretariat of the Joseon Dynasty, was responsible for keeping Seungjeongwon Ilgi, the Diaries of the Royal Secretariat, a detailed record of the daily events and official schedules of the court, from the Joseon Dynasty's first king, Taejo, to its 27th and last, Sunjong. But through the vicissitudes of time, only 3,243 diaries are extant. The extant diaries have detailed information on 288 years of the Joseon Dynasty, from March 12, 1623 (the 1st year of the 16th king, Injo) to August 29, 1910 (the 4th year of the 27th king, Sunjong). Seungjeongwon Ilgi has the largest amount of authentic historic recordings and state secrets of the Joseon Dynasty. Also, it had served as the primary source to Annals of Joseon Dynasty, thus, its historic value is even greater than that of the Annals of Joseon Dynasty. Its content contains the entire picture of Seungjeongwon, a pivotal office in a royal court, taking care of not only important national events but also simple routines as well.
The king's appointments including Gyeongyeon, or discussions with scholars on the Confucian and other Chinese classics, meetings with court functionaries, administrative acts, and affairs in the queen's inner palace were listed in the preface to a monthly diary. The details of the main text are written in the order of the daily tasks of the Seungjeongwon, daily regards to the king and his queen, the king's Gyeongyeon, the Seungjeongwon's personnel affairs, reports from different ministries, and the king's commands. The keeping of diaries began in the founding year of the Joseon Dynasty, but those of the kings before King Injo were burned to ashes during the Japanese invasions. Thus, the extant 3,243 diaries are preserved. Seungjeongwon Ilgi vividly represents an Eastern monarchial sovereign system, politics, policy making, and power structure, while at the same time containing an invaluable legacy of documentary culture.
The size of Seungjeongwon Ilgi is unprecedented in the world: about 242.5 million characters in 3,243 diaries. Seungjeongwon Ilgi, recorded by royal secretaries and scribes, provides etymological data, as well as changes in Korean and Chinese writing, the co-use of Chinese and Korean in state documents around the time of the opening of the nation's ports, the influx of foreign civilization including the Japanese language and government system, and other diverse sources of information. It shows how Catholicism started to take root under the time-honored Confucian society and the reaction of the authorities (religious value). Diaries written after the Political Reform of 1894, the 31st year of King Gojong, record Japan's intervention in domestic affairs. They include the compulsory agreement requested of the Joseon king and other behind-the-scene history in the court, making them primary historic sources for the study of modern times of the Far East. For the preservation of the original copies of Seungjeongwon Ilgi, housed in the Gyujanggak Library of Seoul National University, public viewing is not allowed. But the 141 photocopies compiled by the National History Compilation Committee (1961-1977) from the original Seungjeongwon Ilgi are available for public reference. (From Cultural Heritage Administration)
The Royal Protocols of the Joseon Dynasty
A unique form of documentary heritage, the "Uigwe" is a collection of Royal Protocols of the over 500 year-long Joseon Dynasty (1392 - 1910), that both records and prescribes through prose and illustration the major ceremonies and rites of the royal family. A unique form of documentary heritage, the "Uigwe" is a collection of Royal Protocols of the over 500 year-long Joseon Dynasty (1392 - 1910), that both records and prescribes through prose and illustration the major ceremonies and rites of the royal family.
The exquisite value of the Uigwe lies within its rarity, in that it captures so many details of so many different aspects of the life of the royal family. Documenting not only the records of all the procedures, protocols, formalities and requirements needed to conduct important ceremonies such as weddings, funerals, banquets and receiving foreign missions, it also includes details on the construction of royal buildings and tombs as well as other various cultural activities of the royal family.
Categorized by time and theme and comprised of over 3,895 books, the Uigwe makes it possible to understand the changes that took place over time in royal ceremonies and allows for detailed comparisons with the other contemporaneous East Asian cultures. In particular, the pictorial materials, such as "Banchado" and "Doseol" illustrate the rituals and ceremonies of the time with a sophistication and vividness that matches the visual materials of the present day.
For example, the documentary painting of King Jeongjo's visit to the royal tomb of his father is composed of several scenes, and runs a full 15.4 meters length. Moreover, the authorship of this work is in itself unique, in that this visually oriented documentary heritage would not have been produced but for the cooperative efforts of professional, certified painters working in concert with official historians. Such collaboration in and of itself offers illuminating insight into the structure of cultural production during this time.
In short, the Uigwe is a comprehensive and systematic collection of writings and paintings that provides a detailed account of the important ceremonies and rites of the Joseon Dynasty. Its particular style of documentary heritage cannot be found anywhere else in the world, in either the East or West.
May 18th Democratic Uprising against Military Regime
The events of May 1980 followed quickly upon the October 1979 assassination of President Chung-hee Park at the hands of the director of the KCIA (Korean Central Intelligence Agency), one of his closest colleagues. The unforeseen death of a dictator who had taken control of the country following a military coup was expected to usher in an era of democracy long hoped for by the people of Korea. Unfortunately, things unfolded differently. In the absence of authority, another military coup took place. Students and citizens from across the country were enraged by the situation and took to the streets in protest against the government.
On May 18th, 1980 the people of Gwangju passionately protested against the nationwide imposition of martial law. The new military government responsible for the coup dispatched special force paratroopers to Gwangju in order to suppress a peaceful protest led by university students and citizens. The records are divided into three types. First, there are documents produced by the government institutions that came to power after 1980. They include administrative documents of the central government as well as records of investigation and trial by military judicial institutes. These serve to demonstrate the nature of the government in and before 1980. All the documents recorded by public officials during and after the incident as well as situation reports and compensation-related documents showing the severity of the damage are included.
Secondly, there are documents produced at the time of the May 18th Democratic Uprising (old statements, declarations, hand-written posters and reporters' notebooks) that reveal just how urgent and desperate the situation was. Particularly compelling are the photos by photographers and foreign correspondents that document the extent to which Gwangju was cut off from the outside world. Thirdly, there are documents produced by the National Assembly and Supreme Court aimed at restoring the reputation of the people and discovering the truth about the incidents that took place during the time of the military government following the May 18th Democratic Uprising. The May 18th Democratic Uprising not only played a pivotal role in the democratization of South Korea but also affected other countries in East Asia by dissolving the Cold War structure and achieving democracy. The documentary items related to the Uprising, which took place in Gwangju, Korea between 18 and 27 May 1980, take the form of documents, photos, images, etc. relating to the citizens' rebellion, punishment of the perpetrators, and compensation.
Ilseongnok
Ilseongnok, "Records of Daily Reflections," originated from the diaries kept by King Jeongjo, 22nd monarch of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), from before his ascension to the throne in which he reflected on his daily life and academic progress. After his accession, it was transformed from the personal diary of a monarch to an official daily journal of state affairs. It is of unique value with few comparable examples in the world of a diary kept by the kings of a pre-modern despotic monarchy with a view to reflecting on their rule and using it as a reference for future state administration.
Nanjungilgi
Nanjungilgi is a War Diary written by Admiral Yi Sunsin (1545-1598), the Lord of Loyalty and Chivalry, during the Hideyoshi Invasion (1592-1598) which was triggered by Japanese ambitions to challenge Ming Dynasty China, and advance into the Asian continent.
He kept a daily journal for seven years from January 1, 1592 through November 17, 1598, recording his life in the military until days before his death, on the cusp of a decisive victory, in the last sea battle of the war. The diary has seven volumes, each of which covers roughly a year.
The war diary is without equal in world history as a commander’s battlefield accounts. It describes in detail the daily combat situations, the admiral’s personal views and feelings, observations on the weather, topographical features of battlefields, and the lives of common people. The simple and elegant style diary contains a number of poems, recited by Koreans to this day, heightening its literary value.
Joseon Tongsinsa Records
The Joseon Tongsinsa records are a history of peace building and cultural exchange between Korea and Japan that took place during 1607-1811.
The Joseon Tongsinsa were goodwill missions sent intermittently, starting with the request of the resident Japanese authority, from Joseon dynasty Korea to Japan. Diplomatic envoys were sent to respond to the Muromachi Shogunate and to Toyotomi Hideyoshi as response envoys called Hoeryesa between 1392 and 1590. Similar missions were dispatched to the Tokugawa Shogunate in Japan between 1607 and 1811, Since then, it was delayed four times and ultimately cancelled due to domestic turmoil in Japan that resulted in the establishment of the Meiji Restoration in Japan, after which Japanese relations with Korea took a markedly different tone.
Reciprocal envoys were sent from both Shogunates and individually from Daimyos of Japan to Korea as well, but unlike the Joseon Tongsinsa going all the way to the capital of Edo, they were no longer allowed to trek to the capital of Joseon, and restricted to the Japanese Enclave in Busan.
Many diplomatic missions were sent from the Joseon court to the Japanese Shogunate, while the Shogunate sent their own missions with tribute and addressing the Joseon monarch as "emperor” not less than 70 envoys were dispatched to Kyoto and Osaka before the opening of Japan's Edo period. After 1607, nine Tongsinsa missions were sent to Japan up through 1811.
April 19 Revolution
It was the student-led democratization movement of 1960, triggered by the Syngman Rhee regime's March 15 election fraud. Syngman Rhee had been the first President of South Korea since the 1948 presidential election. He oversaw the transition of power from the United States Army Military Government to the Government of South Korea and the establishment of the First Republic of Korea, and led South Korea during the Korean War.
Protests opposing Rhee were started by student and labor groups in the southeastern port city of Masan on April 11. The discovery of the body of a local high school student killed by police during demonstrations against rigged elections in March. Popular discontent had arisen due to Rhee's autocratic rule, corruption, and use of violence against political opposition. The Masan discovery led to large student protests in Seoul, which were violently suppressed; a total of 186 people were killed during the two weeks of protest. Rhee resigned on April 26 before fleeing to exile in the United States, and was replaced by Yoon Boseon, beginning the transition to the Second Republic of South Korea.
After the resignation of Rhee, the rule of the Liberal Party government came to an end. Rhee was exiled to Hawaii on May 29, 1960. Originally planning to be a short exile, Rhee was unable to return due to public opposition.
Although the uprising left 186 innocent students and citizens dead and about 6,000 others injured, the protesters, including high school and university students, resisted until the end to realize their desire for a democratic government. It has been judged to be the first successful nonviolent popular revolution in the Third World and to have influenced student movements worldwide in the 1960s.
Archives of Saemaul Undong
Saemaul Undong or New Community Campaign is a movement seeking community development and modernization. Of all things, it is a movement to escape from poverty. The campaign was initiated by President Park Chunghee in 1970. Originally targeted toward the agricultural sector, it soon inspired various aspects of civic and cultural life throughout the nation. The spirit of “Diligence, Self-help and Cooperation” spread widely among the rural population. The movement laid the foundation for Korea to grow into a major economy from one of the world’s poorest countries. The experience of the Korean people in this process is a valuable asset for humankind.
The campaign became the driving force behind Korea’s modernization and economic development and is regarded as one of the most significant achievements in modern history, attesting to the people’s unwavering commitment to the movement.
Archives of Saemaul Undong:
1) Documentary materials produced by the Office of the President
2) Documentary materials produced by central and local administrative agencies
3) Documentary materials on Saemaul Undong from individual villages
4) Documentary materials on success stories of Saemaul leaders and their letters
5) Letters from citizens, organizations and business corporations, and donation certificates
6) Documentary materials produced by Saemaul Undong Training Institute
The Archives of Saemaul Undong includes presidential speeches, government papers, village documents, letters, manuals, photographs and video clips related to Saemaul Undong conducted from 1970 to 1979 in the Republic of Korea. Between 1970 and 2011, some 53,000 public officials and village leaders from 129 nations visited Korea to learn about Saemaul Undong. Archival materials included in this nomination have been used to inform programs emulating the movement in 157 villages in 18 countries.
Royal Seal and Investiture Book Collection of the Joseon Dynasty
This is a collection of royal seals and investiture books in total 637 pieces created for the royal sovereigns of Joseon. A royal seal is a ceremonial seal made at the investiture of the king, crown prince, crown prince, and their spouses, or when conferring titles of honor, posthumous titles, tomb titles, and engravings on the king, queen, king, queen consort, and queen concubine. The book is handed down along with the book and records the historical background, meaning, and contents of the ritual.
The seals and books were bestowed to the kings and queens, commemorating their important lifetime occasions and ceremonies such as investitures and inauguration of official titles. The different names and titles invested to the king and queen were engraved into the seals, starting from the commencement as crown heir and even after the deaths of the bearer, composing an archive for both the individual and for the royal lineage as a whole. The investiture books and royal edicts are accompaniments to the seals providing description and justification of the names and ceremonial occasions. The seals and books were produced from the beginning of Joseon until the very end, coming down to the modern era for 518 years.
The seals and documents used in the ceremonies of the Joseon Dynasty were kept in the palace during the person's lifetime, and after his or her death, they were enshrined and maintained at Jongmyo Shrine along with the spirit tablets.
Donghak Peasant Revolution
It was an armed movement against the corrupt Joseon government. The farmers were primarily followers of Donghak, a Neo-Confucian movement that rejected Western technologies and ideals. The governor of Gobu county forced farmers to build Manseokbo reservoir to collect the water tax. Farmers, including Jeon Bongjun, pleaded to reduce heavy taxes and return property taken from people accused of unproven crimes, but were turned down every time.
Donghak leaders and angry farmers began to form a rebel group, who later destroyed three of the four gates of Gobu fortress and occupied the governor office. Over the course of a week, the rebels destroyed prisons, freed innocent prisoners, armed themselves with weapons from local armory, punished corrupt officials, returned property on which taxes and fines were levied to their original owners, and destroyed the Manseokbo Reservoir.
The government dispatched an emergency army of 700 soldiers and 600 merchants to quell the rebellion. The Donghak rebels lured them into Hwangtohyeon. In the dawn of April 7th, the rebels, under the cover of fog, emerged from the mountains and attacked the government forces, killing a thousand soldiers.
On April 27, 1894, Donghak army, whose morale was boosted by the victory of Hwangtohyeon Battle, used this momentum to enter Jeonju Fortress bloodlessly. Uprisings occurred nation-wide except Naju and Namwon but were occupied by force.
King Gojong, being unable to control the situation, asked military support to the Qing. When the Qing responded, Japan also mobilized its troops under the pretext of the Treaty of Tienjin. When foreign powers intervened, Donghak army signed the Jeonju Treaty on June 6, 1894, to prevent the stationing Qing and Japan troops. It was agreed that the government would implement 27 articles of political reform and the Donghak army would withdraw from Jeonju. Accordingly, the First Peasant War ended.
Meanwhile, 2,460 Qing forces and 4,500 Japanese forces also landed Incheon, and soon caused the First Sino-Japanese War (July 25, 1894 – April 17, 1895)
Despite the several victorious warfare in a matter of 2 years, Donghak Army were soon defeated by the joint forces of the Joseon and the Japan in the Battle of Ugeumchi in November.
They suffered a major defeat, with only 500 out of 10,000 surviving. In the end of December, Donghak leaders including Jeon Bongjun were arrested.
Donghak Peasant Movement seek to save the people by overthrowing the corrupt government and keep the country peaceful by rejecting foreign influences. The movement provided an opportunity of the Gabo Political Reform internally and the Sino-Japanese War externally.
Archives of the National Debt Redemption Movement
The movement spontaneously took place between 1907 and 1908 in pure patriotic loyalty, not under a unified nationwide command system to repay government bonds with public fundraising. It was started by Daegu on 30 January 1907. At that time the national debt was 13 million won.
The movement attracted national appeal, and many gave up their tobacco in order to help repay the national debt. Women took a leading role in raising funds. The Japanese Government expected for the movement to subside. However, the movement later attracted the interest of the Japanese forces, who regarded it as a dangerous expression of Korean nationalism and sought to stifle and discredit it.
Since the late 19th century, imperialist powers have expanded colonially on all continents, including Asia, Africa, and America, imposing enormous debts on most colonized countries and using this as an excuse to strengthen their control. Korea was also on the verge of collapse due to Japan's foreign debt. At that time, Koreans were already paying attention to the historical fact that countries such as Vietnam, India, Poland, Egypt, and Okinawa had also lost their countries due to foreign debt.
Korean people attempted to fulfill their responsibilities as a citizen by repaying the foreign debt owed by the country through a nationwide donation movement.
Even in 1907, at the Second Universal Peace Conference held in The Hague, Netherlands, Korea's national debt redemption movement became known throughout the world, providing great stimulation to other colonized countries suffering from foreign debt.
Afterwards, national debt redemption movements took place one after another in many countries that had been invaded by imperialism, such as China (1909), Mexico (1938), and Vietnam (1945), in a manner almost similar to Korea. However, Korea's National Debt Compensation Movement is monumental in that it was the most advanced in terms of time compared to movements that occurred later and was a national donation movement in which all citizens participated for the longest period of time. It is also historic in that it is the only historical record from the time that has been preserved in its entirety. It has great value.
The KBS Archives of Finding Dispersed Families”
The Archives comprises 20,522 records of live broadcasts by the Korean Broadcasting System of reunions of war-dispersed families, for 138 days, from June 30 through November 14, 1983. It holds 463 videotapes of 453 hours and 45 minutes of broadcasts, producers’ journals, applications to participate, broadcast ephemera, audiotapes, and photographs.
100952 Applicants for reunion
20522 Records of live broadcasts
53536 Participants that aired
10189 Families united
Confucian Printing Woodblocks
The printing woodblocks were created to publish Confucian books during Joseon times (1392-1910). The 64,226 printing blocks can produce 718 titles that cover everything from literature, politics and economics through to philosophy and interpersonal relationships. Their importance lies partially in how they were created: Confucian scholars formed local academic communities and discussed what to publish and then handed their publications over to later generations for the communities' academic and moral development.
