On September 26, 2025, the Voluntary Agency Network of Korea (VANK), led by Director Park Ki-tae, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage (NRICH), headed by Director General Lim Jong-deok. The agreement aims to promote the protection, utilization, and dissemination of Korea’s cultural heritage and related research achievements both domestically and abroad.
The signing ceremony took place at the NRICH conference hall in Yuseong-gu, Daejeon. Through this partnership, the two organizations will work together to share accurate information about Korea’s cultural heritage worldwide and develop various promotional initiatives based on their combined expertise.
The collaboration carries special significance as it unites NRICH, a public institution specializing in the research, preservation, and restoration of cultural assets, with VANK, a private organization that has long promoted Korean history and culture on the global stage while actively countering historical distortions. The partnership represents a meaningful example of public-private cooperation in the cultural sector.
While NRICH has safeguarded the value of Korean heritage through systematic research and academic rigor, VANK has built an international network of youth and young adults serving as global digital ambassadors for Korea.
Under the agreement, the two organizations plan to pursue multifaceted cooperation, including:
- Cultural heritage promotional activities targeting VANK members in Korea and abroad,
- Production of promotional materials and provision of accurate information, and
- Participation of VANK members in hands-on programs related to cultural heritage.
A key focus of the partnership will be the AI Cultural Heritage Ambassador Training Project. Utilizing VANK’s national policy communication platform ULLIM, the initiative will correct distortions found in generative AI–produced content about Korean cultural heritage. Based on these efforts, the project aims to train youth and young adults as digital ambassadors who will promote the true value of Korean heritage worldwide.
VANK emphasized that in an era defined by global competition over AI dominance, Korea must not only secure technological sovereignty but also safeguard the nation’s historical, cultural, and identity-based sovereignty within these technologies. The cultural heritage research and preservation data held by NRICH constitute a core resource representing Korea’s “identity sovereignty.” When applied in AI training, this data is expected to play a crucial role in accurately communicating Korean heritage to global audiences.
VANK also plans to actively utilize its national policy communication platform YEOLLIM to share and disseminate NRICH’s research outcomes, policies, and cultural heritage content both domestically and internationally. The goal is to ensure that research achievements extend beyond academic circles and generate real educational and promotional impact.
During the subsequent seminar, VANK youth researchers shared their impressions of the collaboration and their experiences at NRICH.
VANK youth researcher Kim Ye-rae said, “As someone responsible for social media content planning at VANK, it was an invaluable opportunity to engage with NRICH’s diverse resources and materials. The seminar gave me concrete ideas on how to promote cultural heritage more effectively online.”
Another youth researcher, Lee Se-yeon, reflected, “Observing the conservation process up close allowed me to appreciate how much meticulous work goes into preserving the cultural treasures we see in museums. It was a humbling experience that deepened my understanding of the true value of cultural heritage.”
Meanwhile, Baek Si-eun, a youth researcher who is majoring in history, remarked, “For this partnership to thrive, it’s important for both institutions to fully understand each other’s characteristics and ways of working. Through this collaboration, I hope we can help young people become AI-based cultural heritage ambassadors and ensure that Korea’s heritage is represented accurately in generative AI content.”
VANK Director Park Ki-tae stated, “Together, our two institutions will nurture ‘AI Cultural Heritage Ambassadors’ among youth and young adults to correct errors and distortions within generative AI systems. When NRICH’s research and data are utilized for AI learning, Korean cultural heritage can be presented to the world more vividly and precisely. Combined with the creativity of young ambassadors, this data will evolve into a living, experiential form of culture.”
NRICH Director General Lim Jong-deok added, “The Institute has long preserved and restored cultural heritage through dedicated research. This partnership marks a significant opportunity to expand these assets globally in the digital age. As youth ambassadors introduce verified content in their own creative ways, we hope the outcomes of our research will grow beyond static data to serve as tools for education, engagement, and global outreach.”