Man indicted for smuggling out cultural assets

Prosecutors said Monday they have brought charges against a 52-year-old Korean man for allegedly smuggling more than 3,000 pieces of valuable Korean cultural assets to China.

The suspect, identified only by his surname Yoo, was charged with smuggling 3,486 items of "undesignated movable cultural properties," such as old books and drawings, in violation of the law on cultural properties, according to prosecutors.

The law strictly bans exports and imports of items not formally designated as cultural properties by the state or local governments but that hold historical and artistic value.

Yoo allegedly sent old books and drawings on 99 different occasions between April 2009 and November of last year by international mail, prosecutors said. He purchased the items in local stores after receiving a list of items to purchase and funds from an in-law living in China.

The brother in-law, only identified by his surname Choi, is an ethnic Korean with Chinese nationality who allegedly paid Yoo 600,000 won (US$530) for each item, prosecutors said, adding that they could not confirm any connection between Yoo and a professional smuggling ring.

Among the smuggled items are high-value pieces such as a book of poetry by renowned poet Song Si-yeol and a book of literature by Cheong Yoon-hae, a scholar during the Joseon Dynasty, according to prosecutors. (Yonhap)