Beomeosa Seongbo Museum Signs MOU with Busan Cultural Foundation and National Research Institute of Maritime Heritage

Joseon Tongsinsa Ship Sets Sail After 260 Years
Beomeosa Holds Safe Voyage Prayer Ritual

Beomeosa Seongbo Museum (Director and Head Monk: Sanhae Jeongo) signed a memorandum of understanding on the 17th with the Busan Cultural Foundation (CEO: Oh Jaehwan) and the National Research Institute of Maritime Cultural Heritage (Director: Lee Eunseok) to promote cultural exchange between Korea and Japan through the Joseon Tongsinsa.

Beomeosa Temple Sacred Treasures Museum is signing a business agreement with Busan Cultural Foundation and the National Maritime Heritage Research Institute. Photo by Beomeosa Temple Sacred Treasures Museum

At the signing ceremony held at the head monk's office of Beomeosa, the three institutions agreed to cooperate in organizing cultural exchange events centered on the Joseon Tongsinsa, conducting research, utilizing content, and spreading the historical and cultural value of the Joseon Tongsinsa.

According to the agreement, the Busan Cultural Foundation will be responsible for the Joseon Tongsinsa Festival, cultural exchange events, and network connections. Beomeosa Seongbo Museum will cooperate to successfully promote domestic and international cultural exchanges and the reenactment of the Korea-Japan sea route of the Joseon Tongsinsa ship. The National Research Institute of Maritime Cultural Heritage will focus on developing cultural content utilizing the Joseon Tongsinsa ship and academic research achievements.

As part of this agreement, a "Joseon Tongsinsa Ship Safe Voyage Prayer Ritual" will be held at Beomeosa on the 27th during the Joseon Tongsinsa Festival. This event, attended by representatives from both Korea and Japan including the three institutions, is held to pray for the safe voyage of the Joseon Tongsinsa ship before its arrival in Osaka, Japan, for the first time in over 260 years.

During the Japanese invasions of Korea, the Buddhist community, led by Monk Samyeong, played a diplomatic role in repatriating Koreans taken prisoner to Japan and was central to the dispatch of the Joseon Tongsinsa. Through this agreement, the three institutions will recall this historical significance and continue to cooperate so that the Joseon Tongsinsa can be further established as a symbol of peaceful exchange between Korea and Japan.

Oh Jaehwan, CEO of the Busan Cultural Foundation, said, "With this agreement, we expect even more active institutional collaboration centered on the Joseon Tongsinsa," and added, "We will also closely cooperate to discover more specialized and forward-looking Joseon Tongsinsa cultural content."

Sanhae Jeongo, Director and Head Monk of Beomeosa Seongbo Museum, stated, "The Joseon Tongsinsa was not merely a diplomatic envoy but an important symbol of cultural exchange for peace and coexistence. Based on Beomeosa's historical ties with the Joseon Tongsinsa, we will strive for harmony between Korea and Japan in the future," and added, "Taking this agreement as an opportunity, we will work together with each institution to promote meaningful projects so that the cultural value of the Joseon Tongsinsa can shine even brighter."