1.     The Executive Board of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) decided to 
establish the "UNESCO/Jikji Memory of the World Prize" on April 28, 2004.

2.     The Government of the Republic of Korea and the Cheongju City Government have been pursuing the 
establishment of the UNESCO/Jikji Memory of the World Prize to celebrate the designation of Jikjisimgyeong, 
printed at Hongduk Temple, Cheongju, in 1377, as one of the UNESCO's "Memory of the World" in 2001, and 
to contribute to the protection of documentary heritages of the world.

3.     The establishment of the UNESCO/Jikji Memory of the World Prize is expected to increase the 
international recognition of Jikjisimgyeong as the world's oldest text printed with metal type, and to promote 
the cultural image of the ROK in the area of documentary heritages.

4.     The UNESCO/Jikji Memory of the World Prize will be awarded every two years on "Jikji Day" either in 
Cheongju or Paris, and the winner will be given a prize of $30,000.  The first awarding ceremony is 
scheduled to be held in 2005.

                                                                         Spokesperson of MOFAT

* unofficial translation