Lee Kangsun of Seocheon County Council Moves to Enact Ordinance Supporting Hyanggyo and Seowon

Ordinance Prepared in Line with Government's Five-Year Comprehensive Plan
"Establishing Clear Grounds for Supporting Hyanggyo and Seowon Facing Operational Difficulties"

Lee Kangsun, a member of the Seocheon County Council in South Chungcheong Province, has initiated the process of enacting an ordinance to systematically support local Confucian academies (hyanggyo) and seowon.

Amid the government's movement to institutionalize the succession of traditional culture, Seocheon County is also establishing a legal foundation to actively preserve and utilize traditional culture.

On November 18, Lee Kangsun held a meeting with representatives of local hyanggyo and seowon at the Munheon Seowon Mogeun Training Center and announced on the 19th that an ordinance would be enacted to ensure the systematic succession and support of traditional culture.

This meeting was organized to provide institutional support at the county level in line with the recent enactment of the "Act on the Succession, Development, and Support of Traditional Culture of Sungkyunkwan, Hyanggyo, and Seowon" by the government.

The meeting was attended by the heads, managers, and Confucian scholars of three hyanggyo-Seocheon Hyanggyo, Hansan Hyanggyo, and Biin Hyanggyo-as well as two seowon-Munheon Seowon and Hwasan Seowon-along with the head of the Cultural Heritage Team from the Seocheon County Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Lee Kangsun introduced the four key strategies (succession, utilization, preservation, and foundation) of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's "First Five-Year Comprehensive Plan for the Succession and Development of Traditional Culture," emphasizing, "In line with the government's plan, Seocheon County must urgently establish operational strategies tailored to the characteristics of local hyanggyo and seowon."

The proposed "Ordinance on the Succession, Development, and Support of Traditional Culture of Hyanggyo and Seowon in Seocheon County" stipulates the following: mandatory duties for the county governor and the establishment of implementation plans; support for projects that revitalize traditional culture; subsidies for operating expenses; and free rental of facilities.

Notably, the ordinance clearly establishes grounds for supporting hyanggyo and seowon, which have long struggled to operate due to weak financial foundations.

During the meeting, Confucian scholars conveyed the difficulties faced on the ground, such as manpower shortages and aging facilities, and requested that practical support measures be reflected in the ordinance.

Lee Kangsun stated, "The core goal of this ordinance is not simply to provide budgetary support, but to strengthen the preservation and utilization of the traditional culture of hyanggyo and seowon, thereby creating a virtuous cycle for revitalizing local tourism and the economy. I will faithfully incorporate the feedback gathered today into the ordinance and submit it to the council."

Meanwhile, Lee Kangsun plans to finalize the ordinance based on the opinions raised during the meeting and to promptly proceed with legislative notice and review procedures for swift enactment.