Cultural Heritage Administration evaluates relevance to heritage sites; Jung-gu leads with 3 selections, followed by Buk-gu with 2 and Ulju-gun with 3

Participants in an onggi pottery experience program at Oegosan Onggi Village in Onyang-eup, Ulju-gun, Ulsan, sample fermented foods made using traditional onggi vessels. [Ulju-gun]
Participants in an onggi pottery experience program at Oegosan Onggi Village in Onyang-eup, Ulju-gun, Ulsan, sample fermented foods made using traditional onggi vessels. [Ulju-gun]

Eight projects from Ulsan have been selected for the Cultural Heritage Administration's 2027 Woori Gojang National Heritage Utilization Program — four under the "Vivid National Heritage" category, two under "Hyanggyo and Seowon National Heritage Utilization," one under "National Heritage Night," and one under "Historic House and Head Family Utilization."

The program is designed to expand public access to culture by encouraging communities to combine the historical significance and value of local cultural, natural and intangible heritage with human and material resources.

The Cultural Heritage Administration divides the program into five categories: "Vivid National Heritage," which turns heritage sites into living history education venues; "Hyanggyo and Seowon National Heritage Utilization," which transforms traditional Confucian schools and academies into cultural spaces or character-building venues for youth; "National Heritage Night," which offers nighttime cultural experience opportunities; "Historic House and Head Family Utilization," which provides hands-on experiences of traditional culture including food, clothing, shelter and ritual; and "Traditional Mountain Temple National Heritage Utilization," which highlights the heritage value and significance of historic Buddhist temples.

This year, the administration reviewed 598 applications from cities and provinces nationwide, evaluating them on criteria including the relevance of their content to national heritage, and selected 244 projects in total.

Among Ulsan's selections in the "Vivid National Heritage" category are four projects: a Buk-gu program on traditional iron-smelting culture connecting iron production sites and mountain fortresses to local villages; an Ulju-gun program centered on the master onggi potters of Oegosan Onggi Village; an Ulju-gun program bringing the history of Eonyang Eupseong fortress to life; and a Jung-gu program exploring daily life at the Dongheon, the historic county office of the Ulsan-bu administration.

Under "Hyanggyo and Seowon National Heritage Utilization," Ulju-gun's program on the seonbi scholarly tradition at Eonyang Hyanggyo and Jung-gu's intergenerational Confucian learning program at Gugangseowon were selected. Jung-gu's moonlit and starlit night tour of the Dongheon and Byeongyeongseong fortress was chosen under "National Heritage Night," while Buk-gu's program at the birthplace of independence activist Park Sang-jin was selected under "Historic House and Head Family Utilization."

Ulju-gun's program centered on Ulsan's intangible heritage No. 4 — the onggi pottery craft of the Ulju Oegosan Onggi Potters' Association — has been selected for the fifth consecutive year. The county plans to expand its programming with hands-on onggi culture experiences such as making kimchi and crafting onggi dishes.


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