Preface

As the new Director-General of the National Folk Museum of Korea, in charge of the publication of the International Journal of Intangible Heritage, I take great pleasure in welcoming you all to read the contents of Volume 6 of the Journal. Actually, I was appointed Director-General recently on May 9, 2011, but I had already known that it serves the role of preservation by having the academic research papers as a form of record on intangible heritage and it serves the role of transmitting by publishing the Journal. Since its foundation, the Journal has become a significant research forum for developing and sharing academic discourses, knowledge and thoughts on intangible heritage.

From this point of view, I am very pleased to share with you the fact that the Journal has been added to the Arts and Humanities Citation Index by Thomson Reuters in U.S.A and to the Korea Citation Index by the Korea National Research Foundation. Being listed on these two important indexes - one international, the other national - allows us to think about the academic significance of the Journal and consider the responsibility we carry. I believe this is not only a duty but also, more importantly, a privilege. All these spectacular results of International Journal of Intangible Heritage being acknowledged world-wide were due to the dedication of all the Advisory and Editorial Committee members.

Intangible heritage has been passed down from generation to generation through the practices, representations, expressions, knowledge and skills of communities, groups, and individuals as described in the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Heritage. The Journal is a medium through which we can contribute to safeguarding not only intangible heritage but also cultural diversity in the global village, where diverse cultures, I believe, should co-exist, share and show mutual respect. Intangible heritage has been recognized internationally as the driver of the power of cultural diversity and has made inter-cultural dialogue a priority. Thus we now see there should not be one dominant culture that people look up to, or a minor league of cultures on which people look down. I am certain that the Journal, through a wide international readership, promotes our sharing and respecting diverse cultures.

Korea has gradually established a multicultural society, due to the increase in the numbers of immigrant women married to Koreans. It is critical to understand various aspects in other cultures in order to live in concord with people who possess different cultural backgrounds. In this sense, I believe that intangible heritage holds the key to removing the barriers among diverse cultures, classes and generations. Therefore, the publication of International Journal of Intangible Heritage is a meaningful work, and I hold a great sense of responsibility as the publishing director in charge.

I am honoured to express my deepest gratitude to my friends, all the members of the 3rd Advisory Committee, Editorial Board, and to Dr. Pamela Inder Boylan, the Text Editor, for their commitment to making Volume 6 come to fruition. Also, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to Dr. Hans-Martin Hinz, the newly elected ICOM president from 2010 Shanghai ICOM, and Dr. Bae Gidong, chairpersion of ICOM Korea, and Professor Dr. Amareswar Galla, Editor-in-Chief, who, passionately, diligently and professionally, devotes considerable effort and time to editing, improving and promoting the standard of the Journal. Finally, I would like to encourage and convey my support to the museum staff who provide the Publication Secretariat in the Cultural Exchange and Education Division. Their hard work is sincerely appreciated by all of us.

I would like to conclude by using a zodiac sign from East Asian philosophy and wish a brighter future for the Journal and best wishes to all the readers. We would like to jump up and raise the standard of the Journal just like the rabbit moves! With this in mind, I believe that Volume 6 of the Journal will give us the momentum to further knowledge, strengthen our resolve to enhance the quality of research in this field and promote the safeguarding of intangible heritage.