A historical trajectory of cultural policy in Korea: transforming cultural politics into cultural policy

Abstract

This article attempts to enrich the concept of implicit cultural policy by referring to a historical case where cultural politics and cultural policy are intermingled. Korea in the fifteenth century, a time deeply rooted in Confucian political ideals, exhibited significant features of politico-religious state management. Not only was Korea a locus of cultural politics of religion, but this historical period was also a point where the arts, especially music, were the core instrument for realising the country's political ideals. This historical case provides us with an understanding of how the state occupied a central role in cultural politics and stabilised its initiative by institutionalising the executive system. This article explores the ancient theory of rites and music (Ye-ki; Liji), which forms the core of Confucian cultural display. Music was an important medium that was used to pursue an ideal governance. A description of how the ancient bureaucratic apparatus was established to implement Confucian political ideals follows.