South Korea and Australia are actively preserving and promoting their cultural and historical heritage in various ways. In Korea, Hangeul, Hanbok, traditional architecture, pottery, and books stand as iconic cultural treasures, while Australia boasts world-famous gems like Kakadu National Park, Uluru, the largest monolith on Earth, and the Great Barrier Reef, the planet’s largest coral reef system. How are the two countries working to preserve and enhance their cultural and historical heritage?

South Korea has a strong system for preserving its heritage, managed by the Korean Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) and regulated by the Cultural Heritage Protection Act. In addition, the government supports cultural heritage through education. From elementary to high school, students participate in debates and regular tests, deepening their understanding and ideas about heritage preservation. Some schools host contests related to national heritage, offering prizes to engage students and boost understanding annually.

Meanwhile, Australia has laws like the “Indigenous Cultural Heritage Laws” and the “Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act (ATSIHP Act)” to protect its cultural heritage. The first law makes state and territory governments responsible for safeguarding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural heritage. Furthermore, the ATSIHP Act lets the Australian government step in to protect cultural heritage if state or territory laws aren’t enough. This law allows the government to make declarations to keep traditional areas and important objects safe from harm or damage.

The cooperation for heritage conservation in Australia is also remarkable. With the First Nations Heritage Protection Alliance, Australia is trying to improve protection of its cultural heritage while building better partnerships with the organization. Among the organizations, “Woodfordia Incorporated” even won 2023 Jeonju International Awards for Promoting Intangible Cultural Heritage. It is an organization that keeps and informs people about heritage such as language and aboriginal culture.

Both South Korea and Australia are working diligently to enhance and safeguard their cultural heritage. They will certainly make incredible progress through learning from their cultures and from their ancestors’ lives. It is clear that both nations have the potential to make significant global contributions as they remember and actively work to build upon their history.

By Oh Eunice Yoonah