{
  "id": 6326470,
  "title": "How Korean Paper Became War Collateral",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/08/how-korean-paper-became-war-collateral",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-08T20:42:59.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Hyperallergic",
    "slug": "hyperallergic",
    "url": "https://hyperallergic.com/how-korean-paper-became-war-collateral/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "This article explores the history and significance of Korean papermaking, a craft often overshadowed by its Japanese counterpart. The author, a Korean-American papermaker, acknowledges their own discomfort with the term \"kozo,\" which is commonly used to describe the mulberry bark used in Japanese papermaking. However, the author recognizes that this discomfort may be part of a larger issue of historical amnesia within the field of papermaking.\n\nThe author points out that the widespread use of \"kozo\" to represent East Asian papermaking as a whole erases the distinct traditions and histories of various regions. This trend became particularly prevalent during Japan's occupation of Korea from 1910 to 1945, when Korean language, names, and cultural traditions were suppressed and subordinated to imperial authority. This period of cultural erasure extended to the field of papermaking, where Japanese techniques and terminology were often imposed upon Korean practitioners.\n\nThe author emphasizes that the relationship between Japanese and Korean papermaking is not simply a matter of technique or fiber source. Rather, it is deeply intertwined with the historical and cultural contexts in which both traditions developed. The author argues that an overemphasis on \"kozo\" as a universal term for East Asian papermaking risks perpetuating a form of cultural erasure, where the unique histories and identities of different regions are overshadowed by a narrow, imperial narrative.\n\nTo truly decolonize the field of papermaking, the author suggests that we must acknowledge and respect the distinct histories and traditions of each region. This means moving beyond the use of broad, imperial terms like \"kozo\" and instead engaging with the specific techniques, materials, and cultural contexts that have shaped Korean papermaking as a unique and valuable craft.",
  "summary": "Every sheet of Korean hanji I make carries the same question: What does it mean to preserve a tradition without flattening the people who created it?",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}