Culture ministry reviews heritage safety, South Chungcheong tourism plans

The culture ministry said Tuesday that Minister Choi Hwi-young visited South Chungcheong Province to review emergency cultural-heritage safeguards and meet Gov. Park Soo-hyun on tourism cooperation toward an early target of 30 million foreign visitors.

At National Gongju Museum, Choi inspected preparations for the Eulji exercise. The drill assumes wartime, armed-conflict or national-emergency conditions. He checked step-by-step procedures to relocate national treasures and other major holdings quickly and safely, and encouraged museum staff.

"Protecting cultural heritage that embodies national identity is also a pillar of national security," Choi said. He called for drills that mirror actual emergencies to improve artifact-relocation plans.

At a meeting with Park, Choi said cultural arts, content, tourism and sports policies should be developed with local governments. He said the province had an important role in reaching the foreign-visitor target and asked for closer cooperation on tourism content that reflects local characteristics.

Park outlined plans for a combined sports and performance dome in Cheonan-Asan and permanent nighttime performances drawing on historical resources in the Baekje cultural areas of Gongju and Buyeo. He also requested attention and support for managing the province's religious heritage.

"South Chungcheong has layers of distinct resources, from Baekje history to west coast scenery, and the region's future will depend on how those assets are woven together," Choi said. "I will closely review the province's plans so its vision can lead to practical regional vitality."

The ministry and provincial government agreed to continue standing consultations between their departments on matters discussed at the meeting.