Kim Myung-in, director of the National Museum of World Writing, on April 17 announced a new vision for the museum: “World cultures through writing, an open museum preparing for the future.”
Speaking at a news conference at the Korea Press Center, Kim said the museum will pursue the creation of a National Institute of World Writing as its “core engine,” aiming to become a “global hub for writing culture” where exhibitions and research work together. He outlined key projects for future growth.
The proposed institute would study writing systems broadly, from the origins of human scripts to changes in the digital era. Kim said the plan includes building networks of researchers at home and abroad and creating an archive of global writing materials, expanding the museum beyond its current focus on exhibitions and education to add specialized research.
He said the institute would also serve as a center for documenting and studying endangered scripts to help protect a shared human heritage. “We will work closely with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to push ahead with the institute step by step and establish the museum’s identity,” Kim said.
To strengthen the visitor experience, the museum plans a larger lineup of exhibitions in Korea and overseas. It will open “Geulssi Shop” on May 1, highlighting the meaning and artistry of handwriting. In the second half of the year, it plans a special exhibition marking the 100th anniversary of the promulgation of Korean Braille, tentatively titled “Dots That Communicate — Hunmaengjeongeum.”
The museum also plans to expand global exchanges. In July, it will hold an exchange exhibition, “A King’s Dream, the Speech of All People,” at the Champollion Museum of World Writing in France to mark the 140th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Korea and France, focusing on the history of writing exchanges between the two countries.
In May 2027, the museum plans a show tentatively titled “ASEAN Fairy Tales,” introducing scripts from Southeast Asian countries alongside traditional stories. In October 2027, it plans a deeper special exhibition tentatively titled “Great Exhibition of Chinese Characters.” The show, in cooperation with the Palace Museum in Beijing to mark the 35th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Korea and China, will examine the origins and development of Chinese characters, the formation of the broader Chinese-character cultural sphere, and their cultural impact and future meaning up to the present.
The exhibitions are being planned as a “World Writing History Series,” which the museum said will continue with special shows on other scripts and civilizations, including the Latin alphabet (English) and kana (Japanese).
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.