2022 National Brand Up Exhibition showcases Korea's rich cultural heritage

SEOUL, Feb. 17 (Yonhap) -- An exhibition highlighting Korea's 5,000-year history and rich cultural heritage kicked off at a museum in Seoul on Wednesday. The 2022 National Brand Up Exhibition, co-organized by the nongovernmental organization Voluntary Agency Network of Korea (VANK) and Yonhap News Agency, South Korea's key newswire, opened at the National Museum of Korea in central Seoul for a six-day run under the theme "Beauty of the Five Thousand Years of History" The opening ceremony was attended by Seong Ghi-hong, president and CEO of Yonhap News, VANK President Park Ki-tae and Hwang Joon-suk, head of the National Hangeul Museum, among others. Yonhap and VANK, which internationally promotes South Korea and its history online, have co-hosted the exhibition since 2009 to help increase awareness of the country's national and cultural brand. Featuring the success of "Squid Game" and BTS, organizers shed light on how South Korea's current soft power prowess stems from the country's rich printing heritage, which goes all the way back to the world's 1st metal printing technology introduced in Korea in 1377 during the Goryeo Kingdom. The exhibition showcases the significance of "Jikji," known as the world's oldest extant book printed with movable metal type, and "Hunminjeongeum," an official manuscript describing the principles of the Korean alphabet. The exhibition also spotlights the beauties of various cultural treasures, such as the Gilt-bronze Pensive Maitreya Bodhisattva statue and the Great Gilt-bronze Incense Burner from the Baekje Kingdom era. Attendees will also be able to see various activities carried out by VANK youth volunteers to promote Korea's history and culture overseas. VANK said the exhibition is expected to help widen the understanding of Korea's brilliant history and culture. odissy@yna.co.kr (END)