57% of paper-based cultural properties need preservation treatment

Many state-designated cultural properties made of paper, including books and paintings, have been found to be in bad condition.

The 2014-2015 investigation of the preserved state and conditions for 53 paper-based cultural properties found that 30 of them, 56.6 percent, needed preservation treatment. 13 of them, 24.5 percent, were found to have unclear information, including the size and quantity, according to the latest edition of the Korean Journal of Cultural Heritage Studies published by the National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage. Only 18 properties, 34 percent, required no preservation treatment.

The Cultural Heritage Administration says that there are 4,482 state-designated cultural properties, 20% (963) of which are made of paper. The national institute randomly selected 53 properties among them.

The report found that Dongin-Sihwa, National Treasure No.1712, the key material for Joseon literature study, was severely worn. It is a block book written by Seo Geo-jeong, a scholar-official during the early Joseon Dynasty. Geunsarok, National Treasure No.262, was also found moldy. It was given to Lee In-min, who was appointed as a rank official, as a present by neo-Confucian scholar Park Sang-chung in 1370 during the Goryeo Dynasty. It is a rare Goryeo book that is important for the study of neo-Confucian philosophy in the early Joseon Dynasty.

The National Treasure No. 549, which was passed through descendants of Gwon Ju, a scholar in the early Joseon Dynasty, has found to be turned brown, while the National Treasure No.1002, other document of the Gwon family, was also found damaged due to poor preservation.

Meanwhile, the title, period and quantity were wrongly described for “Documents of the Yean Branch of the Gwangsan Kim Clan,” National Treasure No.1018. Some pages of Documents of Ryu Seong-ryong's Family, National Treasure No.160, have been found missing when they were designated as national treasure.

The institute plans to conduct a detailed examination on the color, material and structure of the cultural properties that have been found damaged. It will discuss the establishment of the cultural heritage preservation/ management database based on the results.

“Paper-based cultural properties are vulnerable to the impact of temperature, humidity and physical force,” the institute said. “We have suggested individuals whose cultural properties in bad condition to museums equipped with the constant temperature/humidity control function.

Sang-Un Kim sukim@donga.com