On the afternoon of September 4, 2026, within the framework of the cooperation program between the Institute of Archaeology and the Seoul National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage (SNICH), the Vietnam National Museum of History (VNMH) hosted the delegation of experts from the SNICH, led by Mr. Do Eui-Chul.
The meeting was attended by Mr. Do Eui-Chul; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bui Van Liem, Vice Chairman of the Scientific Council of the Institute of Archaeology - the coordinating institution for cooperation with the SNICH and other experts.
Representing the VNMH were Mr. Nguyen Quoc Binh, Deputy Director of the Museum, together with management and professional staff from the Inventory and Conservation Department and the Exhibition and External Relations Department.
Panoramic view of the meeting at the VNMH
The meeting focused on exchanges concerning research activities and comparative study of the structures of medieval and early modern citadels, with particular emphasis on architectural roof tiles, in support of comparative research between Vietnam and South Korea.
At the meeting, Mr. Do Eui-Chul said that, in course of research process on roofing tiles used in royal architecture, the Korean side has taken particular interest in green-glazed tiles and yellow-glazed tiles discovered at Gyeongbokgung Palace.
Through surveys conducted at several archaeological sites and research institutions in Vietnam, the Korean delegation found that Vietnam also preserves many types of glazed tiles with characteristics similar to those used in Korean royal architecture. These types are diverse and many artifacts remain relatively intact. On that basis, the delegation wishes to study the collection of glazed tiles currently kept at the VNMH in order to survey and collect further materials for research and comparison of roofing tiles in Vietnamese and Korean royal architecture.
Discussing the types of artifacts that the Korean side interested in, Mr. Nguyen Quoc Binh said that the VNMH currently preserves a wide range of architectural materials, including tile collections dating from various significant historical periods. These include tile collections discovered at the ancient citadel of Luy Lau (Bac Ninh province), tiles from the Hoa Lu ancient capital (Ninh Binh province), and architectural materials from the Ly - Tran dynasties.
Significantly, these include the collection of green-glazed tiles and yellow-glazed tiles from the Early Le dynasty (15th century) excavated at the Lam Kinh archaeological site (Thanh Hoa province). In addition to tiles, other architectural materials, such as tubular bricks and ventilation bricks, have also been discovered at this location.
Lam Kinh was the homeland and burial site of the kings and also served as a secondary royal residence of the Early Le dynasty. Therefore, the artifacts discovered at the site bear strong imprint of royal architecture. Mr. Nguyen Quoc Binh expressed his hope that the collection preserved at the Museum would provide valuable additional materials for research by experts from both countries.
The Korean delegation examining selected glazed tiles and architectural materials preserved at the VNMH.
Both sides take a commemorative photo.
At the conclusion of the working session, the SNICH delegation conducted an initial survey of the glazed tile collection and various architectural materials preserved in the VNMH’s storage facility. The two sides agreed to designate focal points for information exchange, contributing to the promotion of research activities and document sharing in the near future.
Eng: Thu Hien