VANK reports that American and British publishers have changed their publication’s statements on the history of metal types. They are set to officially recognize Korea’s “Jikji Simche Yojeol” as the world’s oldest extant book printed with movable metal type in future publications.
Dorling Kindersley (DK) is a British multinational company that publishes textbooks in 62 languages in 87 nations, including the United States. Until 2015, DK states on its website and textbook that the world’s oldest metal-printed book is Johannes Gutenberg’s “42-Line Bible.” In its new 2018 publication “Timelines of History,” DK has included the description “The first movable metal type is cast in bronze in Korea and is used to produce the Jikji Simche Yojeol, a Buddhist scripture, in 1377.”
In its recent publication “World History,” National Geographic adds the statement, “In 1377, Korea produced jikji, the world’s oldest book printed with movable metal type.”
These additions to the publications will educate the world about Korea’s history as the first country to develop metal type. VANK head Park Gi-tae said the rectifications were made possible by his organization’s years-long efforts to persuade the publishers.