Join the Iron Revolution: Free Camp Explores Korea’s Ancient Metal-Making Secrets!

The National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and the Korea Cultural Heritage Association are jointly recruiting participants for a special iron-making camp to be held next month.

Applications for the three-day camp, slated for Aug. 20-22 at the Jungwon National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage in Chungju, North Chungcheong Province, will be open from Monday through July 31.

The camp is open to anyone interested in iron-making, regardless of nationality. While the program will be conducted in Korean, NRICH will provide English-language versions of the presentations to help non-Korean speakers better understand the content, an official at the institution told The Korea Herald. The program is free of charge.

A total of 40 participants will be selected, and the final list will be announced on Aug. 4 via NRICH’s official website.

The iron-making camp is an educational program where participants can learn about Korea’s traditional iron-making through hands-on experiences, while also exploring discoveries from archaeological excavations and experimental research in the field. The two institutions have jointly hosted the program every year since August 2021.

Day two will feature a deep dive into iron-making sites from the Goryeo Dynasty (918–1392), an exploration of traditional pig iron production techniques and a visit to Korea’s first Iron Museum in Eumseong.

On the final day, participants will attend a lesson on how ancient iron-making techniques are being revived today.

Don’t miss this chance to spark your interest in a truly unique craft. Apply now and prepare to have a metal-ly good time!