A new award that recognises artists and master craftsmen who keep Singapore's intangible cultural heritage, or ICH, alive has drawn on South Korea's scheme to acknowledge living national treasures.

National Heritage Board (NHB) deputy chief executive Alvin Tan said the board had studied the South Korean scheme before rolling out its Stewards of Singapore's Intangible Cultural Heritage award. South Korea has actively promoted and backed its ICH practitioners and their trainees.

The NHB also studied South Korea's online encyclopaedia of living heritage when developing Singapore's ICH inventory.

SEE TOP OF THE NEWS: S. Korea a case study for S'pore in safeguarding cultural heritage