I am very pleased to publish the International Journal of Crafts and Folk Arts and I sincerely congratulate the publication of its first issue, which will contribute to promoting international cultural exchanges as we share the knowledge and experiences among the UNESCO Creative Cities.

In addition, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the national and international editors of the journal, all the creative city officials who participated in the event, and Dr. Byung Hoon Jeong, the Chairman of the UNESCO Creative City Promotion Committee, for all of their support and efforts.

Jinju City has been designated as a UNESCO Creative City of Crafts and Folk Art in 2019. Since the ancient times, Jinju has been a city with outstanding creative assets, particularly in education as well as international exchanges of cultural heritage. Crafts and folk arts have always shaped the city’s identity, and Jinju is home to various folk arts such as Jinju Geommu and Jinju Ogwangdae, traditional crafts such as wood furniture making, ornamental knife making and metal craft, and traditional festivals such as Jinju Namgang Yudeung Festival, Gaecheon Art Festival, and Jinju Nongae Festival.

Building on such distinguished history, we now aim to promote the creativity and cultural industry of the city as well as raise the value and awareness of traditional knowledge, as we establish and implement action plans at the international level.

Therefore, I look forward that this first issue will serve as a valuable first step in the development and prosperity of the cultural arts, by drawing specific feasible measures based on the shared cultural experiences and knowledge among the creative cities. Also, I hope that this issue will be widely read by many people to enrich the discourse and practice of sustainable urban development.

Once again, congratulations on the publication of the journal and I would like to send my gratitude to all of you for your continuous interest and support.

Thank you.