The 1st Provincial history in Republic of Korea,

a new step in the history of Gyeonggi-do Province

Experts Debate the publication of the ‘New’ history of Gyeonggi-do Province

▲Debate attendants for the publication of the new Gyeonggi–do Provincial History

Experts discussed the direction for publishing ‘New Gyeonggi–do Provincial History’ while Gyeonggi–do Province resumes publishing ‘Gyeonggi–do Provincial History’, halted since 2009.

Gyeonggi–do Province published a total of 14 volumes of provincial history, 3 times since 2009, and since 1955, when ‘Gyeonggi–do Provincial Book (Volume 1)’ was published for the 1st time. The province decided to republish Gyeonggi–do provincial history for the purpose of Gyeonggi–do provincial identity enhancement last October, and has plans, such as forming a task force team of the Gyeonggi–do Provincial History Publication Planning Group last month, after enacting an ordinance for the Gyeonggi–do Provincial History Publication Committee in March of this year.

Subsequently, Gyeonggi–do Province hosted an experts’ debate for the purpose of publishing a new Gyeonggi–do provincial history in the conference room of the Gyeonggi Cultural Foundation in Suwon on June 4th. In the debate, heated discussion was undertaken by 11 experts from the provincial assembly, academic circles and cultural communities, such as Dal Su Kim, chairman of Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee of Provincial Assembly, Man Shick Choi, Provincial assembly member, Kang Heon, president of the Gyeonggi Cultural Foundation, Jin Gab Gang, president of Institute of Historical and Cultural Contents, Lim Seonbin, director of the committee of Gyeonggi-cultural properties, and Hae Eun Jung, senior researcher of the Academy of Korean Studies.

The debate was followed by questions & answers, free discussion after a presentation by Jingab Gang, president of Institute of Historical and Cultural Contents, all under the subject of ‘Directions of Provincial History Publication-Be youthful, Be together with residents of the province, Be useful’

President Gang asserted that, “Gyeonggi–do provincial history should be rejuvenated by reflecting the changed status of Gyeonggi–do province in the local government era, and by including accumulated academic work and disseminating it using mass communication, to help local communities and provincial residents.

Kang Heon, president of the GyeongGi Cultural Foundation, emphasized that “Gyeonggi–do provincial history is not important as a simple collection of knowledge but as a frame of reference forming and firmly establishing the community spirit of the provincial residents.”

Attendants expressed expectations and the hope that the compilation of provincial history would be the beginning of a new millennium, a ‘Gyeonggi Renaissance’, since Gyeonggi–do province possesses many symbolic cultural resources, such as Suwon Hwaseong Fortress from the era of King Yeongjo and Jeongjo, who lead a cultural renaissance in the late Joseon period.

▲Debate of New Gyeonggi–do Provincial History Publication

Opinions for the Realization Plan of 3 Directions for the new Gyeonggi–do provincial history publication were offered, including: ▲Utilization of various modern mass communication methods ▲Composition, including united interdisciplinary studies ▲Utilization of language easily accessible and understandable to the public ▲ Open-type methods to attract the voluntary participation of the provincial public ▲Preparation of methods for recording the daily memories of the provincial public.

One opinion suggested that it was necessary to utilize Gyeonggi–do provincial history as an educational material for students, and as a cultural heritage in the region for individual, social, and administration purposes. Institutions that establish a digitalized Gyeonggi–do provincial history platform, for this purpose, widen its utility.

Young Keun Jang, chief of the Provincial Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau said that “Gyeonggi–do province has been a cultural pioneer, publishing a provincial history for the first time in 1955 after starting the publication process for the provincial history in 1953, even during the chaos of the Korean War… It is anticipated that the newly published Gyeonggi–do provincial history would be the foundation of a Gyeonggi cultural Renaissance expressing the infinite potential possessed by the provincial public to themselves and the outer world.

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