A Further Step Toward Elaborating Guidelines for Three-dimensional Scanning of Cultural Heritage in Korea: Ongoing Efforts and Challenges

Abstract

The development of specific guidelines for the three-dimensional (3D) scanning of cultural heritage is important for the reliable documentation of cultural heritage. Continuous efforts to digitally document the cultural heritage of Korea have gained greater attention as a result of the unfortunate and irremediable loss of important cultural heritage in two recent fires. Attention among the heritage sectors has been also drawn to the apparent potential of new technologies in cultural heritage documentation. In this context, taking into account the nature of these rapidly advancing technologies, it has led to outline a necessary set of the requirements for the 3D scanning of cultural heritage has been outlined. In collaboration with the Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) of Korea in creating such guidelines, a draft guideline was introduced in 2012, and a final version was released to the public in 2015. These endeavors have been in line with the national movement toward systematic data management under the principles of openness and accessibility. Considering international principles and charters as benchmarks, this project has been operating since May 2018 with the aims of further elaborating and updating established guidelines for 3D scanning. A framework of extensive consultation in conjunction with a public debate-driven decision-making process will be established to include the participation of all concerned parties and to further strengthen processual legitimacy and credibility in the application of the guidance. A large number of case studies of 3D documentation in Korea has also been undertaken in recent years, so practical knowledge from 3D scanning can enable an in-depth understanding of many issues related to the current guidelines, including standardization, accuracy, quality control and integrity matters as well as technical aspects, which are closely related. The aim of the present paper is to briefly present the main progress in Korea in the documentation of cultural heritage using 3D scanning technologies in Korea, which are relatively unknown to the international community. The efforts of the abovementioned on-going project to revise current guidelines are also outlined within the context of Korean cultural heritage. It is hoped that the project will provide a framework and practical guidance for the appropriate application of required specifications of 3D scanning and for preserving time-sensitive records, thereby serving as a basis for overall heritage management.