Taiwan recently celebrated the opening of its first archive dedicated exclusively to Korean culture, a space that is expected to become a reference center for students, academics and lovers of South Korean culture. The archive is located at the Taipei Chinese Culture University and represents a significant step in strengthening cultural ties between both nations.
The National Library of Koreathe institution responsible for this initiative, announced last Thursday, December 12, the inauguration of this consultation room. Located on the seventh floor of the Taiwanese university library, the archive covers an area of 234 square meters and offers access to more than 250,000 materials and books related to Korea. Among these, 1,885 titles were donated directly by the National Library of Korea.
Chinese Culture University as a leader in promoting Korean studies in Taiwan
The University of Chinese Culture plays a pioneering role in the field of Korean studies in Taiwan. This institution was the first to offer a bachelor’s degree program in Korean studies in 1963, marking the beginning of an academic interest that has been constantly growing.
In 2000, the institution expanded its educational offering with a master’s program in this area and, in 2014, it founded the Center for Korean Studies, establishing itself as a leader in promoting knowledge about this Asian country in Taiwan.
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A cultural bridge for young people from Taiwan and Korea
The new archive aims to enrich research and cultural understanding through the wide range of materials it houses, from literature and academic studies to reference works on history, art and society. In addition to its educational value, it is expected that this space can foster cultural exchange between Taiwanese and Korean students and become a bridge between the young generations of both countries.
A representative of the National Library of Korea said during the opening ceremony that “This archive will be a bridge that will allow young people from Korea and Taiwan to better understand each other’s culture and move forward together.” This message highlights the vision of the project: it transcends the simple storage of resources and is oriented towards building mutual understanding between both cultures.
However, the creation of this archive is part of a broader strategy by the National Library of Korea, which since 2007 has established similar spaces in 36 institutions in 30 countries in Asia, Europe and Latin America. These archives, which collectively house more than 130,000 reference materials, aim to preserve Korean culture but also make it accessible to international communities interested in its richness and diversity.
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