The opening of the "Wanju Ginger" cultural space, designated as an Important Agricultural Heritage of the State...Experience, education, and promotion

(Wanju=Yonhap News) Reporter Choi Young-soo = Jeonbuk Wanju County announced on the 17th that it has opened the "Wanju Fresh Ginger Cultural Space Siang," a modern implementation of the traditional agricultural system of Wanju Fresh Ginger, which is the 13th National Important Agricultural Heritage. Siang is the Jeolla dialect for fresh ginger, and the cultural space Siang will start full operations from February next year. Located in Naekpyeong-ri, Bongdong-eup, Siang was established as a national important agricultural heritage promotion and experience village project. The space consists of a media art gallery with ginger as the theme, a café, educational and experiential areas, and also includes animation content for children. Wanju ginger's "ondol-style cave storage method," a scientific and unique system, was designated as a National Important Agricultural Heritage in 2019. This is the second in Jeonbuk after the traditional silk farming agriculture of Buan in 2017. National Important Agricultural Heritage refers to agricultural heritage that has been formed for a long time, adapting to the local environment, society, and customs, and which the country recognizes as valuable for preservation and transmission. The ondol-style cave storage method, unprecedented in the world, involves digging ginger pits before building a house and placing a gudeuljang on top, or digging down to the gudeuljang after constructing the house. By regulating the temperature and humidity of the ginger pits with the heat from the ondol, it has the advantage of preventing cold and decay when storing ginger seeds in cold winters. County Mayor Yoo Hee-tae said, "It will become a key promotional hub conveying the message 'Ginger is Wanju'" and "We will develop the traditional agricultural system of Wanju ginger into a globally recognized agricultural heritage." kan@yna.co.kr