Jeju Island was formed through volcanic activity over 1.8 million years ago. As such, the island is a valuable asset in research of geological features and topography of volcanic landforms such as volcanic cones and lava tubes. Jeju’s lava tubes are some of the most beautiful in the world, featuring dark walls and various colors of carbonation on the ceilings and ground. Among the many natural formations, Hallasan National Park, Seongsan Ilchulbong Tuff Cone, and the Geomunoreum Volcanic Cone lava tube system have jointly been designated as a World Natural Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Reaching to a height of 1,950 meters, Hallasan Mountain is the tallest mountain in Korea with gentle slopes formed by eons of volcanic activity. There are around 40 parasitic volcanoes which formed in the surrounding area. A variety of animals and plants inhabit the slopes, including the largest forest of Korean fir trees (Abies Koreana) in the world.

Jongmyo Jerye is a national ceremony held for the kings and queens of the Joseon period in Jongmyo Shrine, where the ancestral tablets are preserved. The ritual is conducted by chief priests who dress formally for the ritual and prepare food and alcohol for the ancestors.

The ritual service is considered an important symbol which is at the foundation of national survival and the spirit of Korea, demonstrating filial piety toward the deceased, one of the valuable concepts of Confucianism, and encouraging a sense of unity of the whole nation.

Jongmyo Jeryeak, or the royal ancestral ritual music, was performed when the royal family held a ceremony for the repose of their ancestors in the shrine, simply named"Jongmyoak." Traditional Korean instruments are used following the order of the ritual.

Pansori is a form of performing arts where one person tells a story using words and body movements according to the drum beat.

This traditional Korean music tells a themed story that well demonstrates the culture of both commoners and yangban (aristocrats) and universal emotions regardless of class differences. With a distinct, inimitable sound, rhythm, and singing technique, diverse human emotions can be felt through Pansori, representing Korea’s unique cultural landscape.

The Gangneung Danoje Festival is held around Dano, the fifth day of the fifth month according to the lunar calendar. It holds great cultural value as one of the Korea's Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity in demonstrating a Confucian festive rite that harmonizes well with the concepts of shamanism and Buddhism.

During the festival, a shamanic ritual called gut is performed to give thanks to the gods of nature. In addition to traditional games and performances to enjoy, the nation’s largest open-air market is held for visitors to buy local products and handcrafts.

Under a bright full moon, dozens of young women gather in a circle, join hands and sing and dance all night under the direction of the lead singer. The dance is usually performed around Seollal (Lunar New Year’s Day), Daeboreum (the first full moon of the new year of the lunar calendar), Dano (the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar) and Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving Day) holidays on the brightest night of the full moon.

A folk custom developed in rural rice farming villages, Gangangsulle holds a great value in terms of passing down the spirit of cooperation, fairness, friendship and a sense of community.

Namsadang Nori generally refers to traditional Korean performances staged by Namsadangpae, a vagabond troupe of male performers. The root of Namsadang Nori comes from the experience of the common people, and performances were staged especially for them. Musicians, mask dancers and puppet shows dealt with grief of the poor and disenfranchised, while criticizing the immorality of the yangban through their sarcastic humor. Tightrope walking and somersault shows with interesting commentary in between the acts made the stage even more exciting. Namsadangpae troupes performed nationwide and encouraged the poor and powerless commoners through great music, performances and dancing.

Yeongsanjae is a Buddhist ritual for the deceased. Silla kingdom created the ritual when Buddhism was introduced to the peninsula during the period of the three kingdoms. A central element of Korean Buddhist culture, the rituals are quite complicated. Among the customs, a Buddhist chant called beompae is an important part of the ritual as Buddhist words are interpreted in the form of dancing and singing. Yeongsanjae acts as a bridge to inherit the value of Buddhism in an artistic form.

Cheoyongmu was formerly used to promote good fortune by dispelling evil spirits and praying for tranquility of the royal family during royal banquets or exorcism rites on New Year’s Eve.

Cheoyongmu is based on the legendary tale of Cheoyong from the Silla dynasty. Cheoyong came up with his own method of chasing evil spirits away by singing and dancing. From then on, people believed that putting a drawing of Cheoyong outside of their main gate would ward off sickness and evil spirits. Later, the simple ritual to ward off evil transformed into a formal royal court dance. The dance is performed by five men clad in white, blue, black, red and yellow to represent the four cardinal directions and the center.

The dancers move with stateliness and vigor through a variety of styles and tempos of music, punctuated by various lyrical song recitations.

The Jeju Chilmeoridang Yeongdeunggut is a ritual held in the second lunar month at Chilmeoridang Shrine in Jeju-do in hopes of calm waters and abudance of fish. Female divers called haenyeo, shipowners and villagers gather at the shrine to practice the ritual.

The Yeongdeunggut well-demonstrates the characteristics of Korean folk beliefs on the nature of gods. The Jeju Chilmeoridang Yeongdeunggut is an embodiment of Jeju divers' belief of the Yeongdeung goddess and a ritual unique to Jeju, which distinctively embodies Jeju's identity and offers a sense of community to the inhabitants of Chilmeoridang village.

Gagok refers to a genre of Korean vocal music composed of traditional three-line poetry (sijo) accompanied by an ensemble of native instruments, including a twelve- or six-stringed zither and various percussion instruments. Most gagok songs are very slow, requiring a high level of concentration to control the tempo and many years of practice to perfect one's learning. The style was strongly influenced by the endurance and patience of the Korean people.

Although the present form of gagok has transformed to include songs of a more fast-tempo variety, the majority of the songs still bear peaceful tunes of slow- to medium-tempo. Gagok was originally designed for aristocrats' taste, but as it became more widespread, many commoners also began to enjoy this music style.

Carpenters with skills in woodworking are called moksu, and among them, the few notable figures with especially advanced skills in the area are called "daemokjang." In the field of traditional Korean architecture, daemokjangs are thought to be master artisans and therefore were responsible for building the royal palaces, temples and other historically significant constructions as well as repairing them when necessary. Their skills have remained highly appreciated, as good skills allow for the wooden beams of traditional structures to be seamlessly connected, perfecting the designs of Korean architecture.

Unlike other forms of hunting, falconry is an indirect method of hunting that uses a trained falcon. Falcons raised to capture prey were extensively trained and became domesticated in the process. Its recorded history goes back almost 4,000 years, to when hunting first originated. However, over many years, it also became recognized as a form of sports based on strong partnership.

Jultagi, or tightrope walking is a traditional Korean acrobatic performance, normally accompanied by music and witty dialogue between the tightrope walker and a clown. The tightrope walker executes a variety of acrobatic acts on the rope, along with jokes, mimicry, songs and dance, displaying some forty different rope techniques. In addition to the breathtaking acrobatic tactics, jultagi is also highly valued as an interactive performance, encouraging the audience to sing along and communicate with the performers.

Taekkyeon is a traditional Korean martial arts that dates back to the three kingdoms period (57 BC - AD 676). Although it teaches fighting skills, the movements are graceful and gentle rather than straight and rigid. Taekkyeon also requires enormous flexibility and inner strength, and uses a broad variety of offensive and defensive skills so as to not hurt one’s opponent. In that sense, taekkyeon has not only played a significant role in offering an accessible sport to a vast audience, but also in promoting public health and community integration.

Ramie fabric (mosi in Korean) produced in the Hansan region of Chungcheongnam-do is named after its origin of production, hence called "Hansan mosi" in Korean. The practice of weaving mosi is famous here due to its invaluable community asset of successfully passing down the technique over generations for a quality-assured outcome. The masters of this cultural practice are credited as the middle-aged women in the township who are responsible for harvesting, boiling and bleaching ramie plants, spinning yarn out of ramie fiber, and weaving it on a traditional loom.

Ramie cloth is comfortable in hot summer weather and is used to produce a variety of clothing from dress suits and military uniforms to mourning garments. Hansan boasts fertile land and sea winds that allow the ramie plants to thrive, guaranteeing quality products.

Arirang is a popular Korean folk song and the outcome of collective contributions made by people over many generations. Essentially a simple song, it consists of the phrase «Arirang, arirang, arariyo» and two simple lines, which differ from region to region. While dealing with various universal themes, the simple musical and literary composition invites diverse improvisions, giving oppportunities to be sung and enjoyed by almost all Koreans.

Arirang is also a popular subject and motif in diverse arts and media, including movies, musicals, dramas, dances and literatures. It is an evocative hymn with the power to enhance communication and unity among Korean people, whether at home or abroad.

Kimjang, the making and sharing large quantities of kimchi (fermented cabbage) ahead of the long winter months to come, is an essential part of Korean culture. Despite being centered on kimchi, this practice has never been limited to just food preparation. Kimjang is more of a ceremony, bringing family members together, promoting cooperation among members of society and sharing with the less fortunate. This provides a sense of identity and unity, enhancing ties among different communities. Also, it is a culture of bringing people closer to nature.

Nongak is accompanied by many traditional percussion and wind instruments along with a street parade, dance choreography and acrobatic moves. Though it is often perceived as a form of entertainment today, it originated from communal rites and formal rituals praying for peace and prosperity in a family and/or neighborhood. It has evolved into a representative performing art genre of Korea with its mixed elements of dynamic energy, joy and sorrow.

Juldarigi is a tug-of-war game in which many people divide into two teams, grab hold of a long rope and try to pull the rope in opposing directions. This game was generally played before rice harvesting to wish for a good harvest.

Rather than just a mere game, juldarigi was seen as a ritual promoting solidarity and communication among the villagers. The villagers would gather their hopes as one to start the new agricultural cycle and the elders introduced young men into the community. Through the tugging on the rope, the farmers were able to show all the strength they had for the coming labor.

On the volcanic island of Jeju, located south of the Korean penninsula, female divers go 10 meters down without any equipment to harvest seafood in a process called "muljil." These divers, or haenyeo, spend roughly 90 days a year in the ocean, diving for 6-7 hours in the summer and 4-5 in winter. Because of the long hours in the water, the women become experts in perceiving the changes of the ocean as well as acquiring knowledge in related areas. The wisdom gathered from the sea is passed down the female line, from mother to daughter and daughter-in-law. The culture of Jeju Haenyeo is made more outstanding when considering the similarities in life and manner between haenyeo of the same generation.

Ssireum is a traditional Korean wrestling that requires strength, techniques, and endurance. The main goal is to have the opponent fall to the ground by using strength and ssireum techniques while holding grasp of each other's satba (a cloth band wrapped around waist and thigh). Official competitions take place in a ring filled with sand with a chief referee and an assistant referee to supervise the match. Traditionally, ssireum contests were held during festive holidays like on the day of Dano and Chuseok. The first national contest, called the Cheonhajangsa Ssireum Championships, took place in 1983, triggering a nationwide popularity that was followed by regional and festive ssireum contests throughout the country.

Yeon Deung Hoe is a Buddist festival held every April 8th of the lunar calendar to celebrate the birth of Buddha. The festival began during the Unified Silla dynasty (AD 676-935) and continues to this day, providing a chance for people of all backgrounds to enjoy the cultural festival together. Noteworthy festival events include the lighting ceremony, yeondeungnori, and lantern parade.

Hunminjeongeum, meaning "proper sounds for the instruction of the people" in Korean, is the former name for the Korean alphabet, Hangeul. The Hunminjeongeum Haerye Edition is a book that explains the principles and purpose of Hangeul, as well as how to use and pronounce the letters. King Sejong, the 4th king of the Joseon dynasty, created the Korean alphabet in order to help all commoners learn to read and write. The task was promulgated by the scholars of Jiphyeonjeon Hall (or "The Hall of Worthies") and in 1446, the alphabet was distributed and made known to all citizens.

The shape of each letter is made according to the position of the vocal organs used to articulate the corresponding sound. Hangeul is known to be unique among the world's writing systems for having been systematically created without any direct influence from pre-existing writing systems.

Seungjeongwon Ilgi are the diaries of the royal secretariats, full of history and state secrets. The secretariat was responsible for keeping detailed records of the kings’ daily events, weather reports, and other court affairs during the Joseon dynasty (1392-1910). There are about 3,000 detailed diaries remaining, highly helpful for the study of the Joseon dynasty.

Buljo Jikji Simche Yojeol is a book printed in 1377 using the metal type method at Cheongju Heungdeoksa Temple Site. Monk Baegun (1299-1374) compiled several valuable principles of teachings into a Buddhist book. It is the world's oldest evidence of movable metal type printing available, proving to be an important technical change in the printing history of humanity. This practical printing method has especially influenced the history of Oriental printing, and thus its recording inheritance is highly valued even today.

Uigwe, which literally means “a model for rituals,” records text and illustrations of all the important state ceremonies and events of the Joseon dynasty (1392-1910). Following the tradition of Confucianism, this guide covers royal weddings of a king and queen, crowning of the prince, succession of a new ruler, funerals and other various state events. It also provides illustrations of major events that take place, along with detailed descriptions. Fairly detailed drawings are found alongside written texts, providing scholars with more understanding into the scale and design of histoircal events.

Tripitaka Koreana is a complete collection of Buddhist scriptures carved into wooden printing blocks, numbering over 8,000. The Tripitaka Koreana was created with the support of the Goryeo dynasty (918-1392) royalty, while the Miscellaneous Buddhist scriptures were separately produced by the monks at Haeinsa Temple. About 5,000 printed woodblocks were created from 1098 to 1958 and were stored at the temple.

In addition, this heritage is recognized as the most comprehensive example of the woodblock printing technique in all known Buddhist scriptures of that time in terms of its scholastic excellence (comparing, proofreading, adjusting, and arranging) as well as technical aspect.

Donguibogam is an encyclopedia of the principles and practices of Eastern medicine written by Heo Jun (1546-1615), a renowned court physician in the Joseon dynasty. It contains medical information, as well as records of medical practice used to treat patients. Medicinal ingredients that were readily available at the time were suggested and preventive measures for any potential diseases that may break out were also recommended. The encyclopedia was written in both Hanja (Chinese characters) and Hangeul for easy understanding by the commoners.

Ilseongnok, or The Daily Records of the Royal Court and Important Officials, are treasured royal heritages as well as written inscriptions by kings that remained in order to reflect on one's governance and to serve as a resource for future rulers. Ilseongnok were written by many kings but it was not until King Jeongjo (1752-1800), the 22nd ruler of the Joseon dynasty (1392-1910), that the records were sent to the staff in Gyujanggak, the royal library, for note and approval. These books are different from other state publications in the fact that they take the form of personal journals, involving details of exchanges and political issues of both Eastern and Western countries, hence considered highly valuable in the aspect of world history.

This written material relates to the Democratic Uprising, which occurred on May 18, 1980 in Gwangju, and the series of relevant events continuing until May 27. The collection features archives related to this democratic move in the forms of files, photographs and video footage concerning the pro-democracy movement.

Nanjung Ilgi is the handwritten war diary of Admiral Yi Sun-sin (1545-1598), Korea’s famous war hero. The entire series narrates events that took place during the Imjin War (1592-1598), including the admiral’s personal observations and commentary, weather situations, geography, and the controversial circumstances. The diary is considered to be a highly treasured description of Korean history.

The diary consists of seven volumes of notes written almost daily from January 1592 through November 1598, just days before Yi was killed in the last sea battle of the war. Besides, the diary also contains a number of poems, recited by Koreans even to this day, heightening its literary value, of which is hardly found in other historical remains.

Korea is one of the world's highly developed countries as well as a benchmarking model for many developing nations as it achieved rapid economic growth, thanks in large part to the Saemaul Undong (New Community Movement). This helped the country to step out from the list of the poorest countries in the world to a major player in the world economy in the present day. Laying a significant foundation, the world has also acknowledged this remarkable journey, introducing the process as a valuable asset for humankind to learn.

The archives include presidential speeches, government papers, village documents, letters, manuals, photographs and video clips related to the movement conducted from 1970 to 1979.

Confucian Printing Woodblocks in Korea were made during the Joseon dynasty to print the studying materials for scholars. Over 60,000 woodblocks were produced on wooden boards donated by 305 families living in the region to print a variety of contents such as literature, politics, economics, philosophy and more.

These Confucian printing woodblocks became an academic resource for several local intellectual communities over the years, and a form of collective intelligence was created. Hand-carved wooden panels hold a rare value and historical importance for being living proof of the process of producing books by a collective community; deciding the contents and sharing the costs among scholars to print the books.

The KBS Special Live Broadcast “Finding Dispersed Families” is the world's biggest scale of live broadcast, aired non-stop for about 435 hours 45 minutes. The stories of over 50,000 separated families were aired and the moving scene of reunions among 10,000 war-dispersed families was recorded in real time.

The Archives of the KBS Special Live Broadcast “Finding Dispersed Families” is comprised of reunions that took place over 138 days, from June 30 through November 14, 1983. The collection holds 463 original copies of videotapes, producers’ journals, the applications written by the families, broadcast ephemera, audiotapes, daily broadcast schedules, cue sheets and photographs.

The royal seal, made of gold, silver, or jade, was used in rituals for the royal family during the Joseon dynasty. The seal was made when the king or queen were given a title or when a queen, crown prince, or wife of the crown prince was appointed. The Investiture Book served as a form of certification that recorded important lifetime events of the royal family, such as crowning the heir. A seal and investiture would be given to the successor, providing legitimacy of the new ruler. After the passing of a ruler, these items were enshrined together to preserve eternal legitimacy of the royal lineage.

The royal seal symbolized the everlasting continuity of the king and the investiture was an accompaniment to the seal that provided an archive of important events. In a more literal aspect, the royal seal and investiture collection served to secure the authority and political power of the royal family. The collection is highly valued in terms of humanity and cultural heritage as these historical records contain text, handwriting, sources, and embellishment of that time.

These records document the 12 meetings that took place from 1607 to 1811 between the Joseon dynasty and Japan's Edo period, through the delegates of the Joseon period known as the Joseon Tongsinsa, invited by the Tokugawa shogunate. The materials provide excellent information into the historical backgrounds of both Korea and Japan. The meetings took place to restore the broken ties of the two countries after Korea was plundered during the late 16th century by Toyotomi Hideyoshi.

The documents are a recorded compilation of Joseon Tongsinsa’s involvement in diplomacy, journey, and cultural exchange, depicting how their meetings greatly contributed to rekindling national peace through understanding cultural differences. The compilation also describes how the two countries achieved further development through mutual exchange in academics, arts, industry, and other activities. These records are considered as a valuable asset to humanity due to the historical demonstration of accepting diversity for mutual prosperity.

The Archives of the National Debt Redemption Movement record the history and circumstances surrounding the citizen-led campaign to repay the national debt running from 1907 to 1910. The idea behind the movement was that it was the responsibility of the people of Korea to come together and collectively repay the foreign loans taken out by the government. Approximately 25% of the population participated in the movement, with men cutting out smoking and drinking, women donating their rings and hair accessories, and even beggars and thieves giving what they could. The movement was even advertised in an English newspaper, spreading the word to Koreans living abroad.

The movement was also mentioned at the Hague Convention of 1907, and from there spread to the entire world, provoking the interest of other countries in similar conditions. While the original movement failed, it was again brought up 90 years later in the 1997 Asian financial crisis. At the time, many Korean citizens contributed and made efforts to help the government. These movements showcase the mentality of the Korean people, individuals who actively unite and fulfill their duty as a citizen in times of crisis.