Kim Young-hee, with 53 Years of Jade Craftsmanship, Recognized as 'Okjang' Holder

Cultural Heritage Administration Recognizes Holder of National Intangible Heritage
"Core Skills in Piercing, Carving, Grooving, etc. are Excellent"

Kim Young-hee, who has honed jade processing skills for 53 years, has been recognized as a holder of the national intangible cultural heritage title of Okjang (玉匠). The Cultural Heritage Administration announced on the 9th that sufficient qualifications were confirmed through document review, on-site investigation, and the Intangible Cultural Heritage Committee's deliberation.

Okjang refers to the skill of crafting various utensils and ornaments from jade or the artisan who possesses this skill. Jade is regarded as a representative gemstone alongside gold and silver in East Asian cultures. It has traditionally been frequently used as an ornament indicating social status. Its white and soft nature has been associated with meanings such as perseverance, gentleness, subtlety, and patience.

The production process is broadly divided into six stages: quarrying, design, cutting, shaping, detailed carving (drilling holes and grooving), and polishing. Various tools are used according to each process, including a metal saw for cutting, a gimlet called hwalbibi for drilling holes, and a grinding machine called galiteul (a machine that processes wood into a round shape).

Kim was previously recognized as a holder of the intangible cultural heritage title of Okjang in Sido. She entered as an apprentice under Master Kim Jae-hwan in 1970 and inherited the skills. She has honed jade processing techniques for about 53 years.

The Cultural Heritage Administration explained, "The core skills of Okjang, such as openwork carving, engraving, and grooving, were excellent." Openwork carving is a technique where only the outline of the subject to be depicted is left, and the rest is carved out to create holes.

With this recognition, the number of Okjang holders has become two, including the existing holder Jang Joo-won. The Cultural Heritage Administration stated, "We expect that the additional recognition will revitalize the transmission field," and added, "We will continue to recruit successors to expand the transmission base and strengthen the foundation for public cultural enjoyment."