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Creating Added Value by Converging Traditional Goods with S&T (2017.04.18)
- Date : 2017-08-29
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International Cooperation Team
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Creating Added Value by Converging Traditional Goods with S&T
- The Traditional Renaissance Support Group Holds Special Convergence Workshop
On April 18―as part of the ongoing Traditional Culture Convergence Research Project operated by the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning―the Traditional Renaissance Support Group held its “Local Cooperation Workshop on Traditional Culture and S&T: S&T’s Role in Boosting Jeonbuk’s Traditional Industries” at Chonbuk National University Museum.
The event was intended to strengthen the technological capabilities of traditional industries through S&T convergence, and to seek out new economic growth engines.
It was hosted by the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning, the Korea Research Foundation, and the Association of Traditional Culture and Science & Technology; it was organized by the Traditional Renaissance Support Group, the Center for Intangible Culture Studies at Chonbuk National University, the Korea Traditional Culture Center, and the Jeonbuk Center for Creative Economy and Innovation; and it was sponsored by the province of Jeonbuk (Jeollabuk-do) and the city of Jeonju.
The workshop offered a chance to re-discover certain aspects of traditional Korean culture and create added value for traditional goods, particularly hanji (handmade Korean paper) and otchil (Korean lacquer)―the leading traditional industries of Jeollabuk-do. Additionally, it was an opportunity for traditional industries to leap forward through practical applications of S&T.
To help transform traditional goods into high value-added industries through convergence with S&T, experts in both S&T and traditional Korean culture participated alongside officials from traditional industries in giving presentations on topics related to S&T convergence.
Leading the way in promoting such convergence is the Association of Traditional Culture and Science & Technology, an academia-industry-research cooperation network, consists of 16 organizations, including professional agencies, educational institutes, research institutes, science centers, and associations. Its goal is to establish technologically innovative ecosystems within traditional culture industries and to strengthen their competitiveness by fusing modern S&T with traditional resources.
The Association promotes cooperation on everything from problem diagnoses to engineer training to R&D and commercialization. It is managed by the Traditional Renaissance Support Group, which was established by expert artisans and researchers.
Of particular note were the presentations on R&D and commercialization strategies for hanji and otchil. Dr. Hahn Hoh-gyu, head of the Center for Heritage Science at KIST, introduced current otchil-related research trends around the world, and professional agencies and private firms alike exhibited innovative products created by converging traditional goods with S&T. Such products included otchil-based car interiors, otchil/hanji floors, hanji photographic paper, hanji leather, and durable hanji window paper.
Dr. Hong Kyung Tae, head of the Traditional Renaissance Support Group, said, "We are dedicated to fostering convergence industries that can potentially generate new markets. Following the success of this workshop, we now plan to host similar events in other regions of Korea and nurture the traditional industries we find there."