VANK announced that it would launch a series of infographic contents titled “Certificates of Our Heritage,” which present evidence based on original sources to counter China’s attempts to distort Korea’s cultural heritage.
According to the Korea Heritage Service, China has designated 24 items representative of Korea—including Arirang, Pansori, Ssireum, the Gayageum, Nongak dance, kimchi-making techniques, and Chuseok—as its own national-level intangible cultural heritage.
In response, VANK recognized that these designations could lead to these elements being mistakenly perceived as Chinese culture by the public overseas, and thus planned content that responds with evidence rather than mere claims. The series explains the complex history by condensing it into three key years and three pieces of evidence.
Each page is designed to allow users to directly access original sources, such as historical documents, UNESCO inscription pages, and the National Heritage Portal.
The first installment, “Arirang,” presents Homer Hulbert’s first Western musical score (1896), its inscription on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (2012), and its designation as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage (2015) as key evidence.
The “Ssireum” installment, to be released next, presents Kim Hong-do’s sketchbook (18th century), the establishment of the Cheonha Jangsa Ssireum Tournament (1983), and the joint North-South inscription on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (2018) as evidence.
The series will be released every Wednesday and Sunday starting on November 4, 2026, on VANK’s official social media channels. The final episode of the series, the “Kimchi” episode, will be released on November 22, 2026, to coincide with “Kimchi Day,” and the “Holiday” episode will be unveiled ahead of the 2027 Lunar New Year.
After the series concludes, VANK plans to expand the campaign by producing motion graphics and an English-language version, enabling foreigners and overseas Koreans to explain our cultural heritage using the original evidence.
Director Park Gi-tae stated, “To counter China’s increasingly sophisticated distortions of history and culture, all citizens must take the lead in historical diplomacy,” adding, “If we allow China’s distortions of history and culture to go unchecked, they will threaten peace in Northeast Asia and, by extension, world peace.”