Three copies of the Korean historical medical books “Donguibogam” will be designated as national treasures.
     
The Korea Cultural Heritage Administration issued an advance notice of the designation on Monday.
 
The three are the original version of Donguibogam owned by the National Library, the Academy of Korean Studies and the Kyujanggak Institute for Korean Studies.
     
Donguibogam was first published in 1613, compiled by Heo Jun, a renowned doctor of traditional Korean medicine from the Joseon Dynasty. Currently, 36 copies of the ancient medical encyclopedia exist at home and abroad.
 
The Cultural Heritage Administration explained that it finalized the designation, as the woodblock-printed medical books hold historical value, noting UNESCO's inclusion of the books to its Memory of the World Register in 2009.