Park Jong-pil, a member of the Daegu Metropolitan Council (People Power Party, proportional representation), announced on the 9th that he urged the Mayor of Daegu to prepare measures to revitalize Daegu Arirang culture and tourism through a written administrative inquiry.
Councilor Park Jong-pil stated, “Opportunities for Daegu citizens to experience Daegu Arirang are very limited, such as the ‘Gayageum Byeongchang Choi Gyeran’s Daegu Arirang record phonograph’ permanently exhibited in the cultural and arts corner of the Daegu Modern History Museum, the ‘Choi Gyeran’s Daegu Arirang Festival’ held in Dong-gu, Daegu, and the ‘Daegu Arirang Festival’ hosted by the Yeongnam Folk Arirang Preservation Society.”
Park continued, “From September to December last year, for three months, through the council research group ‘Culture and Tourism Revitalization Forum,’ we conducted a policy study on ‘Research on Measures to Revitalize Daegu Arirang Culture and Tourism.’ The research results indicated that to preserve the value of Daegu Arirang as a cultural resource distinct from Arirang in other regions nationwide, a specialized institution is needed to inherit and further develop it.”
Park pointed out, “Considering the influence and cultural ripple effects of the festival, it is necessary to unify the currently dual festivals into one and expand the festival to a national level like the ‘Jeongseon Arirang Festival’ and the ‘Miryang Arirang Grand Festival,’ as well as develop tourism programs and products linked to the festival.”
He added, “In other cities and provinces, separate ordinances have been enacted (such as the Ordinance on the Preservation and Promotion of Miryang Arirang and the Ordinance on Jeongseon-gun Arirang Day) to continuously preserve and promote local Arirang. I asked what measures Daegu City has in place.”
Furthermore, he requested Daegu City’s response regarding the promotion of Daegu Arirang through the municipal Gugak (traditional Korean music) orchestra, which leads in promoting local traditional and regional culture, the Powerful Daegu Festival, and district and county local festivals; the development of tourism courses linked to Arirang-related festivals featuring place names mentioned in Daegu Arirang’s lyrics and the birthplace of Choi Gyeran; and Daegu City’s tourism promotion strategy to launch goods through art collaboration of traditional cultural heritage and souvenirs using Daegu Arirang as a theme.
‘Daegu Arirang’ mentions place names such as Palgongsan (Sutaegol), Biseulsan, Apsan, Nakdong River (Dalseong Wetlands), Geumho River (Hajungdo), Gyeongsang Gamyeong (Seonhwadang), Suseong Lake, and Seomun Market.
Finally, Councilor Park said, “Daegu Arirang not only represents the local sentiment and musical characteristics of the Daegu region but also shares existing traditional genres and identities, thus holding sufficient value as a cultural resource of Daegu. Daegu City should establish a close network with traditional cultural artists and prepare a systematic inheritance strategy for Daegu Arirang to go beyond preserving traditional culture and arts and to promote high value-added tourism revival.”
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