A Study on the Construction of a Linked Database for an Integrated Service Platform of Local Culture and Arts Resources
Abstract
In this study, it was intended to explore a way to build a DB which links the resources and areas and regions already registered as cultural assets in connection with a project which is newly building local culture and arts resources. Towards this end, this study first identified the type and scale of existing local culture and arts resources that could be linked. Following which, to link the local cultural resources and collected cultural assets, this study investigated the websites such as the Cultural Heritage Administration’s National Cultural Heritage Portal, municipal and provincial tangible cultural festivals, municipal and provincial intangible cultural assets, and Gyeonggi Memory. Furthermore, this study identified the amount of information sources to be built and the current status of each information source to identify detailed information sources. Finally, the metadata of local culture and arts resources were presented by classifying them into material and publication data metadata, document metadata, audiovisual metadata, oral recording metadata, village information metadata, and personal information village information metadata.
Keywords:
Local Culture and Arts Resources, Integrated Service Platform, Linked Database, Metadata1. Introduction
Local culture and arts resources mean those that which comprehensively encompass local culture and arts resources, and which include the lifestyles shared within the region, tangible and intangible resources created artificially and naturally within the region, and cultural and arts activities within the region, with the recorded types of things necessary in the process of production and distribution of culture with underlying artistic activities included, and they usually include cultural assets, village records, intangible cultural assets, cultural and artistic records, etc., respectively.
The work of collecting such local culture and arts resources may be deemed as a basic premise for enabling a complete appreciation of arts culture by collecting and preserving historical records and supporting research. That is, the local culture and arts resources serve as a regional ‘spiritual asset’ and ‘foundation’, so they may become a source of national competitiveness in a society of knowledge-based economy.
Furthermore, local culture and arts resources are used as the elements for establishing local identity, urban marketing, and local communities. In the past, local culture and arts resources were viewed as a means of preservation, but in the modern time, preservation and utilization are approached in various ways as a concept of economic and regional regeneration using them.
Most cities have many cultural resources. Local culture strengthens social integration, improves the living environment, may be a symbol of city marketing that affects regional development, and may be used as a material for art and cultural activities to attract tourists.
However, it has been known that there are serious preservation problems with such local cultural resources, including the cultural assets that are not designated as cultural assets. In particular, the cultural assets in urban areas are concentrated in the area north of Jongno, taking Seoul as an example, and while there are cases where the modern cultural assets remain in the area of Deoksugung Palace and Namdaemun-ro, it has been said that, in or about 2005, the (former) Korea Stock Exchange, Skara Theater, etc., among some valuable modern buildings, were demolished due to the owners’ will for the property development even before they were designated as cultural assets (Hyeonseok Min, 2008). While they have been part of the region’s long history, buildings that are not registered as non-designated cultural properties by the Cultural Heritage Administration are at the risk of being engulfed in history without even knowing whether they will disappear in the future. Hanok residences, a living cultural asset that vividly conveys the Koreans’ unique residential culture, are determined as old houses and are destroyed in large numbers through redevelopment. According to researcher Hyeonseok Min (2008), the narrow alleys that show old waterways, urban structures, and traditional markets where past commercial activities remain are mostly considered amnong the poor urban environments.
According to the press reports, in or about 2023, while they have not been designated as cultural assets like Yeongdan Houses, the buildings and relics with potential value are classified as non-designated cultural assets, and despite the Cultural Heritage Administration’s investigation, there are over 2,000 buildings that have already disappeared or are scheduled to disappear soon (Jaehyun Park, SBS, 2023). Hence, to preserve disappearing local culture and arts resources and preserve them before they disappear, preservation is necessary through the construction of a database that crosses regions and types. There is an urgent need to discover such resources, build and preserve them as a database, and make them serviceable through distribution platforms. Accordingly, researchers are intensively collecting local culture and arts resources that are in danger of extinction and resources whose current status is not yet known (Younghee Noh, 2023). However, it is serviced separately from cultural and artistic resources that are already designated as cultural assets, and there are aspects where integrated search is not possible from the user’s perspective. Hence, there is a need to build a database by linking tangible and intangible designated cultural properties, registered cultural properties and non-designated cultural properties managed and preserved by the government, and intangible cultural heritage of humanity registered with UNESCO. Towards this end, it would be necessary to establish an information source for information on existing cultural properties through regional cultural property-linked metadata. Accordingly, this study seeks to design metadata for linkage. Based on the integrated metadata, it is intended to provide both the newly discovered information by region and existing cultural heritage information, and mash it up with map information toward expanding the visual effect and the range of access users.
2. Previous Studies
It may be deemed that studies have been conducted to design metadata for cultural content integration. Yoonhee Cho () compared and analyzed the data elements of each format, focusing on the cases of metadata use at Korea’s representative cultural heritage institutions, the National Library of Korea, the National Museum of Korea, and the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art. Based on which, she created a cross-reference table of elements for each format and presented minimum level metadata elements to ensure the interoperability of varying metadata formats.
Heejeong Han, Taeyoung Kim, and Yong Kim (2016) developed the intangible cultural heritage metadata elements based on the multi-entity model. Towards this end, they investigated the newly enacted Act on the Safeguarding and Promotion of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2016 and the recorded information resources, guidelines, and transmission status of institutions that conducted intangible cultural heritage documentation books and resource surveys, and investigated the intangible cultural heritage of related organizations. By analyzing the digital archiving status and information services, the information items required for intangible cultural heritage were derived. Furthermore, based on the development of intangible cultural heritage metadata based on a multi-object model, the information on actors related to intangible cultural heritage, information on the recorded information resources they produce, and management of such recorded information resources were provided based on the most core intangible cultural heritage information. The records management information required for such purpose was also organically connected and provided comprehensively.
The intangible cultural heritage metadata elements were developed based on the multi-object model. Towards this end, the Act on the Safeguarding and Promotion of Intangible Cultural Heritage newly enacted in 2016 and the recorded information resources, guidelines, and transmission status of institutions that conducted intangible cultural heritage documentation books and resource surveys were examined, and investigated the intangible cultural heritage of related organizations. By analyzing the digital archiving status and information services, the information items required for intangible cultural heritage were derived. Furthermore, through the development of intangible cultural heritage metadata based on a multi-object model, information on actors related to intangible cultural heritage, information on the recorded information resources they produce, and management of such recorded information resources are provided based on the most core intangible cultural heritage information. The records management information required for this purpose was organically connected and provided comprehensively. Myeongcheol Jeong, Hyoyeon Moon, and Mihee Kim (2014) studied the classification system for rural intangible cultural heritage according to the agricultural heritage registration criteria. Towards this end, after analyzing the registration criteria of the Globally Important Agricultural Heritage (GIAHS), UNESCO, and Korea’s intangible cultural heritage-related system, the classification system and detailed list of the Korean Traditional Knowledge Resources Classification Plan (KTKRC) of the Rural Development Administration and the Folk Archive were analyzed, following which, the rural intangible heritage was classified into 5 major categories, 19 middle categories, and 50 minor categories, whose relevant details were organized.
The research on the intangible cultural heritage metadata began with the need to standardize intangible cultural heritage metadata for digital archives of intangible cultural heritage. Juyoung Wi (2010) pointed out that it is problematic to apply the metadata customized for the framework of tangible cultural heritage to intangible cultural heritage, and argued that metadata elements suitable for intangible cultural heritage should be developed. Accordingly, focusing on the craft technology, an attempt was made to derive the metadata for each crafting skill, skill holder, and craft product produced with the skill holder’s craft technology. Sujeong Kim and Yong Kim (2013) developed the metadata elements based on the FRBR model for effective management, search, and use of intangible cultural heritage records.
When examining previous studies, it was found that not only were there not many metadata design studies for the local culture and arts resources, but there was also no metadata linkage database that this study intended to conduct.
3. Research Design and Methodology
In this study, with a view to derive the metadata linked to the local culture and arts resources, first, the local culture and arts resources information resources were investigated and analyzed. To establish a source of information on designated cultural properties, including the non-designated cultural properties, it was sought to first determine how many designated cultural properties there are in the country and what metadata they use, and select the key metafields among them to first confirm the metadata. Following which, an expert committee was formed to secure the validity of the metadata field, and the members were comprised of local culture experts and library and information science experts. Finally, actual data was entered based on the designed metadata, and required and optional fields were presented separately. This research method is a procedure commonly followed when designing the existing metadata fields, and the design results were developed to be easy to understand so that they may be used as a reference when other organizations build the local cultural resources in the future.
4. Status of Local Culture and Arts Resources and the Metadata
4.1 Current status of local cultural resources
To design the linked metadata, it was first examined and understood that it would be necessary to understand the status of local culture and arts resources established in Korea. Accordingly, it was sought to first identify the type and scale of local culture and arts resources that could be linked. Following which, to link local cultural resources and collected cultural assets, it was sought to investigate the websites such as the Cultural Heritage Administration’s National Cultural Heritage Portal, municipal and provincial tangible cultural festivals, municipal and provincial intangible cultural assets, and Gyeonggi Memory. Furthermore, this study identified the amount of information sources to be built and the current status of each information source to identify detailed information sources. Finally, the metadata of local culture and arts resources were presented by classifying them into material and publication data metadata, document metadata, audiovisual metadata, oral recording metadata, village information metadata, and personal information village information metadata.
The local culture and arts resources managed and preserved by the state include the tangible and intangible designated cultural properties, registered cultural properties and non-designated cultural properties, as well as the intangible cultural heritage of humanity registered by UNESCO. Here, there is a need to build a database by linking tangible and intangible heritage located in the villages as the information of villages is discovered.
The National Cultural Heritage Portal categorizes cultural heritage by type and includes historic buildings, relics, recorded heritage, intangible cultural assets, natural heritage, and other registered cultural assets (Cultural Heritage Administration National Cultural Heritage Portal, 2023)
The current status of cultural heritage belonging to registered cultural properties, designated cultural properties, and non-designated cultural properties by category is as follows. As illustrated in the table, there are a total of approximately 4,300 nationally designated and registered cultural assets, 6,881 provincially designated and registered cultural assets, and 2,880 cultural assets, with a total of 15,079 registered. Finally, this study aims to create a vessel that can build a linked database of about 15,000 cases.
Status of cultural heritage by category
To link the local cultural resources and collected cultural assets, we searched sites such as the National Cultural Heritage Portal of the Cultural Heritage Administration, provincial and provincial tangible cultural festivals, provincial and provincial intangible cultural assets, and Gyeonggi Memory. As illustrated in the table below, it may be examined that the following table shows historic buildings, relics, recorded heritage, intangible cultural assets, natural heritage, registered cultural assets, etc. The types of information sources that may be constructed by type can also be viewed in detail. For example, in the case of relics and buildings, they are classified into residential life, political defense, transportation and communication, education and culture, relics distribution site, relics distribution site, tombs, industrial production, and religious beliefs and character events, etc.
Types and contents of cultural heritage information sources
A form of record where the materials that have not passed through the hands of historians go directly to the village level and are first saved by experts who find valuable items. Because the oral materials are a rough concept, future generations who will use oral materials can conduct research using them. Information sources constructed in this way can also be linked, and media-related materials such as documents containing materials and publications containing information about local culture and history, society and space, documents containing records, and photos and videos are available. It was found that there was audiovisual information, oral records and character information about people who remembered the life history of the village.
Types of information sources for local culture and arts resources
This study has identified the amount of information sources to be built and the current status of each information source to identify the detailed information sources.
First, the type of heritage building DB and the number of cases that may be built were identified. The types of heritage building DB include residential life, politics and defense, transportation and communication, and educational institutions, and the total possession status turned out to be 5,826 cases.
Types of historical buildings DB and number of cases that can be built
When examining the types of relic DBs and the number of cases that may be built, the types of relic DBs include general paintings, other religious paintings, Buddhist sculptures, and daily crafts, and the total possession status turned out to be 3,560 cases.
Types of historical buildings DB and number of cases that can be built
When examining the types of documentary heritage DB and the number of items that may be built, the types of documentary heritage DB include records, epistles, documents, and epitaphs, and the total possession status is 2,420 cases.
Types of documentary heritage DB and number of cases that can be built
The types of intangible cultural heritage DB include traditional performances and arts, traditional techniques, traditional knowledge, oral traditions and expressions, and the total possession status turned out to be 330 cases.
Types of intangible cultural heritage DB and number of cases that can be constructed
The types of natural heritage DB include natural monuments, scenic spots, and natural protected areas, and the possession status turned out to be 852 cases.
Types of natural heritage DB and number of cases that can be constructed
The other registered cultural property DB types include movable property, educational facility, other facility, war-related facility, memorial facility, business facility, industrial facility, religious facility, residential accommodation facility, movable property (art work), movable property (movie), medical facility, and public facility, commercial facilities, cultural assembly facilities, etc., and the total possession status of other registered cultural properties turned out to be 852 cases.
Total possession status of other registered cultural properties
4.2 DB metadata for the local culture and arts resources
The metadata of local culture and arts resources were presented by classifying them into material and publication data metadata, document metadata, audiovisual metadata, oral recording metadata, village information metadata, and personal information village information metadata.
The materials and publications DB includes materials and publications published around the village, such as the locally published reports, village articles, village websites, government publications, dictionaries and handbooks, magazines and newspapers, and local cultural papers. The metafields for this include LC (Local Culture) type code and LC detailed type code, and the metafields are as follows.
Metadata for materials and publication
The construction resources include diaries, letters, memo notebooks, booklets, documents, and local papers containing major events in the village, and the metafields for such include area code, LC type code, LC detailed type code, village name, subject/field, author, year of production, and issuing organization, etc.
Document metadata
The construction resources are records in the form of video or audio, such as photos, films, tapes, videos, records, and disks, and the metafield for such has been designed as follows.
Audiovisual metadata
The construction resources include video (recording), audio (recording) and transcripts, photos of the interviewer, other donated materials, oral report, interviewer’s identity card (consent form), etc., and the metafields towards this end are as follows.
Oral metadata
According to the survey, the total number of villages (neighborhoods) at the eup, myeon, and dong level in the 17 cities and provinces was 3,517, and the total number of cities, counties, and districts was 232. As a result of a current status survey conducted at the city, county, and district level for areas that have village record reports or websites, approximately 52% of them are not managed nationwide by city, county, or district.
When examining eup, myeon, dong, and ri (administrative districts), it turned out that there are actually more villages and those villages are rarely recorded (Source: Statistics Korea). It would be necessary to build such a village information DB focusing on areas where population extinction by administrative district is accelerating, covering 52% of the village information which is disappearing among the 3,517 villages in Korea surveyed based on eup, myeon, and dong (village map, general village status, village characteristics and fact-finding survey). The metadata fields towards this end are as follows.
Village information metadata
Finally, the resources for building the character information include general information about the record holder, receiver, etc., the person’s entertainment/skills and explanations, photos of the person, videos about the entertainment/skills, etc. The metafields towards this end are as follows.
Personal information metadata
4.3 Linked DB metadata
Based on the local culture and arts resources DB metadata above, linked metadata focused on designing core metafields which may comprehensively build various types of information sources.
The linked DB metafield is consisted of LC (Local Culture) type code, detailed type code, DB detailed item, unique number, location, designation (registration) date, era to which the historic structure belongs, cultural property description (introduction), owner and manager (organization), cultural heritage portal, etc., among the related URLs, and while the details of the metafield may change depending on each type, it basically operates based on the same structure.
Linked DB metadata
4.4 Standards for building local culture and arts resources
Additionally, the standards for establishing local culture and arts resources were also presented. What must be considered when building and linking local culture and arts resources is the decision on which information sources to collect and what content to collect. It seems that objective standards are needed rather than decisions based on the situation or subjectivity, and it is recommended to refer to the standards presented in the Korea Culture and Tourism Institute’s fact-finding study in 2022 for the evaluation area, evaluation elements, and evaluation items of local cultural resources. The standards for establishing local culture and arts resources, compiled by referring to other nationally designated cultural heritage sites, are as illustrated in the table below.
The construction standards may be broadly classified into the area of selecting record information resources subject to digitization, the area of creating digital record information resources, and the area of preserving digitized record information resources. It would also be necessary to refer to the detailed evaluation elements and evaluation items.
Standards for building local cultural resources
5. and Recommendations
Once faded away, local resource are lost in history and memory and could not be restored. By building small but valuable local cultural resources, relevant researchers and historians can use them as research materials, and as source material for second and third creations. There is a need to ensure that it may be utilized.
If local cultural resources are systematically built and served on an online service platform, they may become an engine base for regional revitalization and revitalization of culture and arts. That is, it will regenerate disappearing villages, preserve numerous local cultural resources within the villages, and enrich national and regional sensibilities by being reborn through various stories and various media. By using this service platform, anyone can use local culture and arts resources as a resource for building AR/VR experience content and as a basis for artificial intelligence curation (Korean heritage cases, etc.), and local governments can use local culture and arts resources as a basis for resource creation. It can also be used as a raw material for diffusion, promotion, and local commercialization.
Accordingly, in this study, it was sought to explore the ways to build a DB that connects resources and regions already registered as cultural assets on this platform in connection with projects that are newly building local culture and arts resources, and used the link to prevent duplication and improve the linkage effect. That is, it was intended to serve as an integrated portal for all local cultural resources in Korea by utilizing already existing resources in conjunction with them rather than duplicating them.
The specific linkage plan is to establish an information source using previously preserved cultural property information through regional cultural property linkage metadata. That is, based on the integrated metadata, the newly discovered information for each region and existing cultural heritage information may be provided together, and by mashing it up with map information, visual effects and the range of access users may be expanded.
Towards this end, this study first identified the type and scale of existing local culture and arts resources that could be linked. Following which, to link the local cultural resources and collected cultural assets, we investigated sites such as the Cultural Heritage Administration’s National Cultural Heritage Portal, municipal and provincial tangible cultural festivals, municipal and provincial intangible cultural assets, and Gyeonggi Memory. Furthermore, this study identified the amount of information sources to be built and the current status of each information source to identify detailed information sources. Finally, the metadata of local culture and arts resources were presented by classifying them into material and publication data metadata, document metadata, audiovisual metadata, oral recording metadata, village information metadata, and personal information village information metadata.
The information source to be built through this study will be able to conduct an extensive search by linking with already established information sources, and through which, the black chain-based local cultural resource sharing platform will likely play the role of such a highly accessible platform rooted in the general public and an access point to national cultural resources.
References
- Cultural Heritage Administration’s National Cultural Heritage Portal. https://www.heritage.go.kr/main/?v=1697275238902
- game memory. https://memory.library.kr/main
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Han, Hui-Jeong Kim, Tae-Young, & Kim, Yong (2016). A Study on the Development of Metadata Schema for Intangible cultural Heritage Based on Multiple Entity Model. Journal of the Korean Society for Library Information Science, 50(3), 329-359.
[https://doi.org/10.4275/KSLIS.2016.50.3.329]
- Kim, Do-Hwan (2021). Study on satisfaction evaluation and improvement measures for public records digitization project: Focusing on the digitization project of basic local governments in Gyeongsangnam-do. Master’s thesis, Dong-Eui University, Department of Library and Information Science & History.
- Lee, You-Jeong (2016). A Study on Digitization of the Nonelectronic Records of Local Government: Focusing on 8 Local Self Government of Daegu. Master’s thesis, Daegu Catholic University, Department of Achiv.
- Provincial Intangible Cultural Heritage. https://www.kogl.or.kr/search/search.do
- Provincial Tangible Cultural Heritage. https://www.kogl.or.kr/search/search.do?query=%EC%8B%9C%EB%8F%84%EC%9C%A0%ED%98%95%EB%AC%B8%ED%99%94%EC%9E%AC
- Ryu, Jae-Hyen (2017). Digitization Process and Improvement Plan of Important record in public institutions. Master’s thesis, Han-Shin University, Department of Achive.
