Haman County Holds the "16th Aragaya Academic Conference"

Reexamining Historical, Academic, and Practical Significance

Haman County in South Gyeongsang Province announced on June 24 that it recently held the "16th Aragaya Academic Conference" at the main conference hall of the Haman Museum.

This academic conference was organized as part of Haman County's key initiative to designate Aragaya as an ancient capital. The event aimed to shed new light on the historical, academic, and practical significance of Aragaya and to secure the legitimacy for its designation as an ancient capital.

Haman County Holds Academic Conference for Designation of Aragaya Ancient Capital. Provided by Haman County

The opening ceremony of the conference began with an address by Nam Jaeu, Director of the Gyeongnam Studies Research Center at Changwon National University, followed by a welcoming speech from Cho Geunje, Mayor of Haman County, and a congratulatory address from Lee Manho, Chairman of Haman County Council. More than 100 participants, including presenters, panelists, academics, and local residents, were expected to attend.

After the opening ceremony, Lee Sungjoo, a leading authority in Korean archaeology and professor at Kyungpook National University, delivered a keynote lecture on the theme of "The Status of Aragaya and Haman as an Ancient Capital." The following four thematic presentations included: "Report on the Excavation of Bongsan Mountain Fortress" (Lee Jaemyeong, Gyeongnam Research Institute); "The Ancient Capital of Aragaya: Center and Periphery" (Choi Kyungkyu, East Asia Cultural Heritage Research Institute); "The Value of Aragaya as an Ancient Capital" (Kim Jongbeom, Architecture and Urban Research Institute); and "Production of Aragaya’s Hard-Paste Pottery and the Economic Foundation of the Ancient Capital" (Park Seungkyu, Gaya Cultural Heritage Research Institute). A comprehensive discussion was scheduled to be chaired by Oh Chunyong, Director of the National Gaya Cultural Heritage Research Institute.

A Haman County official stated, "Through this academic conference, we hope to widely promote the value of Aragaya as an ancient capital and secure the legitimacy for its designation, which we believe will provide momentum for future efforts to achieve this status. Our county will do its utmost to ensure that Haman County is designated as an ancient capital."