Korean corner opened at the National Museum

The 6th century gold statue of god Mirg

State Minister for Cultural Affairs Begum Selima Rahman and Ambassador of the Republic of Korea Seong Ung Park jointly inaugurated the corner yesterday.

'Land of quiet morning', Korea has an enriched history of 500 years, creating its own culture and heritage. Korea's rich culture is the result of exchanges of cultural habits and inventions with many other nations, thanks to its geographical position. Despite several occasions of confrontation, the nation has successfully augmented and preserved the originality of its culture.

King Sejong of the famous Choson Dynasty invented the Korean alphabet system 'Hangul' in 1443 by modifying the Chinese alphabet so that his subjects could easily read and write the Korean language 'Hangungmal.' The collection features a page from an 18th century epic, printed in one of the first 'Hangul' typesets. The epic on Buddha was published to increase the popularity of the 'Hangul' alphabet. Two touchscreen monitors at the display will attract enthusiasts to try the Korean language.

A 6th century gold statue of Korean god Mirg, whose worship leads to a glorious afterlife, a few ancient and modern paintings and an array of Korean masks give an authentic display of the colour of the nation. In particular Korean masks are of curious diversity based on vocations of people, their caste, age and emotional expression. Locally called 'Tal', there are 'Yangban tal' for the aristocrat, 'Sonbi tal' for intellectuals, 'Jung tal' for Buddha saints, 'Bu-ne tal' for a flirtatious young woman, 'Mi-yal-hal-mi tal' for an elderly-woman, 'Gak-shi tal' for a bride, 'Imae tal' for a fool.

Korean musical instruments are also of great variety and interest. The 'guhmoongo' and 'gayageum' are two native string instruments made from 'odong' wood. The 12-string 'gayageum' is played by hand while the 6-string 'guhmoongo' is played by beating a stick on the strings. There are also other percussion instruments like 'jing' and 'janggoo'.

The display also contains mannequins wearing traditional Korean attires, ancient ornaments--necklace, earrings, bangle and crown. Two digital music systems give a taste of Korean music to the visitors.

This recent endeavour is sure to enhance the cultural and political bond between Korea and Bangladesh.