On March 10, 2026, the Vietnam National Museum of History (VNMH) welcomed a delegation from the National Museum of the Joseon Dynasty Annals (Korea), headed by Ms. Kim Jeongim, Director of the Museum, during their official visit to Vietnam.
The delegation was received by Mr. Nguyen Quoc Binh, Deputy Director of VNMH, along with representatives from the Departments of Education and Communications, Archives and Library, and Inventory and Preservation.
The meeting focused on the research and conservation of Han - Nom historical materials related to the Joseon Dynasty (Korea) and the Nguyen Dynasty (Vietnam), as well as potential cooperation in academic research, staff training, and the organization of exchange exhibitions between the two institutions.
Panoramic view of the meeting at the VNMH
Ms. Kim Jeongim shared that the National Museum of the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty was established in 2025 under the National Palace Museum of Korea, with a strategic focus on research and exhibitions regarding royal history and the Joseon Dynasty. The Museum is currently implementing various research programs related to the documentary heritage of the Joseon Dynasty, particularly the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty - a major historical source of Korea written in Han characters.
According to Ms. Kim Jeongim, Vietnam and South Korea share significant cultural similarities and a common tradition of using Han characters in historical records. Consequently, the Korean side expressed a strong interest in gaining deeper insights into Vietnam's Han-Nom historical material, specifically the Dai Nam Thuc Luc (Veritable Records of the Nguyen Dynasty). These materials would serve as valuable resources for comparative studies with Korea’s historical record system, especially those related to the Joseon Dynasty in the broader regional historical and cultural context. She also expressed interest in the management and preservation of Han - Nom documentary heritage and paper-based artifacts currently preserved at the VNMH.
During the meeting, Mr. Nguyen Quoc Binh noted that although the VNMH preserves a number of Han-Nom documents related to the Nguyen Dynasty, a large portion of Vietnam’s specialized Han-Nom sources are currently housed at institutions such as the Institute of Han-Nom Studies. He affirmed the VNMH's willingness to facilitating connections between the Korean delegation and these specialized Vietnamese institutions to support their research.
The two sides taking a commemorative photo
Both museums shared their experiences and concerns regarding the preservation of paper-based and Han-Nom materials, with particular attention to protecting these fragile documents from environmental damage and natural deterioration over time.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Huong Thom, Head of the Inventory and Conservation Department at VNMH, stated that in recent years the Museum has gradually strengthened its professional capacity through international cooperation programs. These efforts focus on professional training and upgrading specialized equipment. In the coming time, the VNMH plans to collaborate with the National Research Institute of Maritime Heritage (Korea) to organize specialized training workshops on paper conservation techniques at the Museum.
On the basis of cultural similarities and shared interests, both sides expressed their desire to promote academic exchanges, share documentary sources, and develop joint research projects. They also look forward to expanding cooperation in exhibitions and expert exchange programs in the future.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Ms. Kim Jeongim expressed her sincere appreciation for the warm welcome and enthusiastic support provided by the VNMH.
The Korean delegation visting the exhibition at VNMH
Members of the delegation at the experiential area of the thematic exhibition “Spring - The Dawn of Victory”
The Korean delegation taking a commemorative photo at the thematic exhibition area
On this occasion, the Korean delegation visited the permanent exhibition of the VNMH at 216 Tran Quang Khai Street, Hanoi.
Thu Hien