At the end of May 2025, a delegation from the National Asian Culture Center (ACC) of the Republic of Korea visited Kyrgyzstan to inspect the implementation of the Kyrgyz Cultural Resource Management System (KCRMS) in the country’s leading cultural institutions. The delegation visited the Gapar Aitiev National Museum of Fine Arts, the Nomadic Civilization Center, the M.V. Frunze Museum, the State Historical Museum, and the Sulayman-Too Museum in Osh.
According to Hosan Kim, curator of the Exchange and Public Relations Department of the Korean Center, the ACC team also conducted training workshops for museum professionals. These workshops aimed to develop archival skills and enhance capacity for creating cultural content.
This visit marked the final phase of the Official Development Assistance (ODA) program implemented by ACC in Kyrgyzstan. The program’s objective was to create and institutionalize a comprehensive digital cultural resource management system. The delegation also held meetings with representatives from the Ministry of Culture, Information, Sports, and Youth Policy of Kyrgyzstan to ensure a smooth and sustainable handover of the project to local institutions.
Since its opening in 2015, the National Asian Culture Center has welcomed over 19 million visitors and implemented more than 1,900 cultural programs, 66% of which were developed in-house. ACC’s innovative approach to cultural development and international cooperation has earned global recognition: the center received the SEGD Global Design Award in 2023 and was listed as a Korea Unique Venue by the Korea Tourism Organization.
Under the leadership of Executive Director Kim Sangug, ACC is strengthening its role as a global platform for cultural cooperation. The center acts as a “window to Asian culture for the world,” focusing on archiving, research, content creation, and international exchange. To mark its 10th anniversary this year, ACC is preparing an exhibition dedicated to Central Asia titled The Next Steppe: Winds of the Steppe, featuring Kyrgyz artifacts previously donated to the center.
ACC’s relationship with Kyrgyzstan predates the ODA program. Through collaboration within the Asian Storytelling Committee, the two countries jointly published five illustrated books introducing Kyrgyz culture to a global audience. One of these stories was even adapted into an immersive format and exhibited in Korea. These early successes laid the groundwork for selecting Kyrgyzstan as a key partner for the cultural ODA program.
The Republic of Korea’s unique status as a country that has transitioned from an aid recipient to an international donor forms the core of ACC’s philosophy. Having experienced devastation during the Korean War, Korea achieved remarkable progress in economic and cultural development with the support of the international community. This legacy inspires ACC to share its experience with other countries, including Kyrgyzstan.
The KCRMS project is the first cultural ODA program in the world implemented by a national cultural institution—ACC—under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism of the Republic of Korea. The program not only provides state-of-the-art digital equipment and systems but also offers training and support in content development using the materials uploaded to the system.
Dr. Ham Han-hee, Director of the Center for Intangible Culture Studies (CICS) and project leader, remarked:
“The pace of progress in Kyrgyzstan has exceeded our expectations, thanks to the passion and enthusiasm of our Kyrgyz partners. We’ve learned a lot from them and have been inspired by their commitment to preserving cultural heritage.”
Park Jin-seok, Director of Exhibition Planning at ACC, added:
“During our visit, we saw how democratic values are actively developing in Kyrgyzstan. We were particularly impressed by the energy and dedication of the younger generation. Korea’s experience with democratization is relatively recent, and we believe we can share our knowledge and technologies to help Kyrgyzstan avoid unnecessary missteps on its path to cultural development.”
As part of the cultural ODA program and its 10th anniversary celebration, ACC will present a special production of Semetey in November, based on the Kyrgyz epic. The cast was selected through auditions held in Kyrgyzstan in 2024. The premiere will take place at ACC in Gwangju, followed by performances in Seoul and Bishkek in early December, coinciding with the official handover of the KCRMS project.
Additionally, Kyrgyzstan’s Minister of Culture, Information and Youth Policy, Mirbek Mambetaliev, has been invited to deliver the keynote address at the International ODA Forum on Cultural Resource Management and Utilization, which will be held at ACC on June 19, 2025. The forum’s theme will be: “Building a Digital Cultural Resource Management System and Developing Capacity for Cultural Content Creation in the Kyrgyz Republic.”
ACC’s work in Kyrgyzstan vividly demonstrates the transformative power of cultural diplomacy based on mutual respect, technical cooperation, and shared goals. As the KCRMS project concludes, both countries look forward with optimism to a sustainable partnership and continued cultural exchange—a collaboration that not only preserves cultural heritage but also creates a platform for creative innovation.
Kuban Abdymen
CentralasianLIGHT.org
June 2, 2025