The Ministry of Health and Welfare said Thursday that it would step up efforts for its “Korean Medicine Globalization Project” by donating English versions of Donguibogam, a Korean oriental medical textbook, to six U.S. universities.

The ministry, National Development Institute of Korean Medicine (NDIKM) and Pusan National University’s Graduate School of Oriental Medicine are also planning to hold a promotional event during the donation.

Donguibogam, translated into Principles and Practices of Eastern Medicine and designated by UNESCO as part of the Memory of the World in 2009, is an encyclopedic bible of oriental medical knowledge of treatment techniques compiled in Korea published by Heo Jun (1539-1615), a Joseon Dynasty royal physician.

The six universities are Arizona School of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine, Phoenix Institute of Herbal Medicine & Acupuncture, National University of Health Sciences, Midwest College of Oriental Medicine, Pacific College of Oriental Medicine, Midwest College of Oriental Medicine.

The ministry started the Korean Medicine Globalization Project by establishing a “Donguibogam Academy” at four universities -- Pacific College of Oriental Medicine, New York College of Health Professions, New York College of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Tri-State College of Acupuncture – in 2015.

It has since expanded the project to 11 U.S. universities and various schools in Europe, including the Georg-August-Universität Göttingen in Germany. The ministry also donated an English version of Donguibogam to Germany’s Societas Medicinae Sinensis to advertise oriental medicine.

Donguibogam Academy also received an Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM) certification from the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) in 2015.

With the approval, the academy focuses not only on introducing Korean oriental but also on practical education related to the operation of clinics such as Korean acupuncture, and oriental fertility treatment and psychotherapy.

“In the future, continuous and systematic support will be needed to spread the international awareness of Korean Oriental medicine and expand education,” said Park Jong-ha, a section chief at the ministry’s Oriental Medicine Division. “We are also developing a smartphone application that provides the original context of Donguibogam in both Korean and English.”

Also, the ministry plans to upload a translated version of Donguibogam online so that anyone can download the material, he added.

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