UNESCO Memory of the World Register includes ‘Records of the April 19 Revolution’ and ‘Records of the Donghak Peasant Revolution’

‘Records of the April 19 Revolution’ and ‘Records of the Donghak Peasant Revolution’ were registered on the UNESCO Memory of the World Register on the 18th.

The two heritages whose inscription was decided at the 216th UNESCO Executive Board meeting held in Paris, France, deal with historical events that greatly contributed to the development of democracy in Korea.

‘April 19 Revolution Documents’ is a collection of 1019 records of the student-led democratization movement that broke out in the spring of the 1960s. Starting with the Daegu protests on February 28, 1960, and the rigged March 15 elections, materials documenting the development process from the April 19 Revolution, which brought down the dictatorship, were included.

The ‘April 19 Revolution Records’ is significant as a historical record of achieving democracy through non-violent resistance against the dictatorship. In particular, as the first successful non-violent civil revolution in the Third World, it is evaluated as important in world history as a documentary heritage that influenced the global student movement in the 1960s, such as the 1968 revolution in Europe, the anti-war movement in the United States, and the security struggle in Japan.

‘Donghak Peasant Revolution Records’ are 185 records related to the Donghak Peasant Revolution that broke out in Joseon in 1894-1895. At that time, the people rebelled against the corrupt leadership and foreign invasion to build an equal and fair society. Donghak Peasant Army installed ‘Jipgangso’, a public-private cooperation organization in charge of public order and administration in each county government office in Jeolla-do, which is evaluated as a fresh democracy experiment that was difficult to find similar cases around the world at the time of the 19th century.

‘Jeon Bong-Jun Gongcho’, which contains records of the court interrogation of Jeon Bong-Jun (1855-1895), a leader of the Donghak Peasant Revolution, and a letter written to his mother by Dal-Moon Moon (1859-1895), who was imprisoned in Naju while active in the Donghak Peasant Army, are examples of the thoughts and reality of the time. vividly shows With this inscription, the importance of efforts made by the people of Joseon to pursue the universal values ​​of freedom, equality, and human rights has been recognized.

In 2017, the Cultural Heritage Administration prepared for the inscription of the two documents on the Memory of the World Register through a public contest. However, as UNESCO suspended the World Heritage listing program for about four years from 2017 to improve the system, the listing of the two records was also delayed. After reopening in 2021, it was promoted again and was able to be registered this time.

As a result, Korea has published Hunminjeongeum (1997), Joseon Dynasty Annals (1997), Jikjisimcheyojeol (2001), Seungjeongwon Diary (2001), Joseon Dynasty Uigwe (2007), Haeinsa Tripitaka Koreana and Jegyeongpan (2007), and Donguibogam (2009); I am looking for my family’ (2015), Joseon royal family royal seals and fish books (2017), national debt redemption movement records (2017), and Joseon Tongsinsa records (2017).

The Cultural Heritage Administration said, “It is expected that we will be able to raise our status as a documentary culture powerhouse.” We plan to publicize it widely.”

Reporter Ryu Jae-min