Towards the Sustainable Use of Digital Cultural Heritage Assets: Korea’s Source Asset Strategy and Its Challenges

Abstract. The digitalization of cultural heritage extends beyond mere preservation, evolving into a form of public asset whose value is increasingly recognized across education, exhibitions, and the content industry. In Korea, the “Digital Cultural Heritage Source Resource Distribution Project,” led by the Korea Heritage Service, has produced a large volume of 3D assets based on traditional cultural elements. This initiative was designed to facilitate secondary use across diverse sectors and to foster a content ecosystem rooted in national heritage.
This study outlines the operational framework of the project and the characteristics of the digital resources produced, while analyzing key policy and operational challenges identified during its implementation—such as insufficient historical validation and quality inconsistencies within the broader digital heritage market. These findings highlight the need for a stronger leadership role by public institutions in areas like quality control, reuse systems, and standard setting. By doing so, this paper aims to suggest future policy and institutional directions and to provide a foundational discussion for establishing digital cultural heritage as a sustainable asset that promotes cultural equity and the expansion of public knowledge.