“Cultural autonomy” of Gyeonggi Province — Gyeonggi culture made by Gyeonggi residents

What is cultural autonomy and how has South Korea been striving to achieve it?

Gyeonggi Province is pushing forward with “cultural autonomy” so that residents can directly participate in determining and implementing cultural policies.

Enactment of “Basic Ordinance on the Cultural Autonomy of Gyeonggi Province,” the first of its kind in the nation

On July 14, Gyeonggi Province became the first local autonomy in the nation to enact and execute a basic ordinance on cultural autonomy so as to develop a foundation for pluralistic participation, including that of residents, in the determination and implementation of cultural policies.

The ordinance has been formulated to promote the values of Gyeonggi residents’ lives and community cultures by creating a basis for pluralistic participation in the province’s cultural policies, thereby enabling the expression of their free and creative cultural capabilities.

Gyeonggi residents now can directly participate in determining and implementing cultural policies
ⓒGyeonggi Province

The ordinance guarantees Gyeonggi residents’ right to culture and supports their participation in various cultural sectors in accordance with the Framework Act on Culture. It also defines what is entrusted by the Regional Culture Promotion Act and its Enforcement Decree as well as what is required for implementation.

According to the ordinance, a basic project for cultural autonomy must include: content related to balanced development and the specialization of regional cultures; the cultivation of professional human resources in regional cultures; the preservation and utilization of cultural assets and traditional culture; and the collection of local resident opinions.

Full-scale promotion of Gyeonggi Province’s cultural autonomy vitalization pilot project from next year

With the enactment of the ordinance as a catalyst, Gyeonggi Province will promote a pilot project to create a foundation for building, reinforcing and vitalizing cultural autonomy. The main contents of the project include the pilot operation of city and county cultural autonomy centers to revitalize and support cultural autonomy, and the formation of a cultural cooperation network that supports cultural autonomy activities and exchanges. In addition, Gyeonggi Province is preparing education programs to strengthen cultural citizenship and cultivate cultural autonomy activists, as well as specialization projects engaging regional proposals (planned and proposed by regions).

These cultural autonomy-related tasks will be specifically outlined by Gyeonggi Province together with its cities, counties and local cultural foundations at the 2021 Gyeonggi Arts and Cultural Policy Festival slated for October. The Gyeonggi Arts and Cultural Policy Festival, the first of its kind in Korea, will provide a forum for questions and answers with resident participation in order to create a happier Gyeonggi Province via the arts and culture of its 31 cities and counties. It will serve as a venue for Gyeonggi Province, along with related officials, experts and residents of the province, to reflect upon the direction of arts and culture in Gyeonggi Province.