KTX & royal records

France must return Joseon documents

The completion of the high-speed train KTX project linking Seoul and Busan is a fresh occasion to review the Korea-French relations. In 1993, then French President François Mitterrand promised to return to Korea all historical royal documents of the Joseon Kingdom France looted from Ganghwa Island in 1866. He made the unsolicited promise when Paris was making an all-out pitch to sell its bullet train TGV to the country.

However, 17 years after France made the commitment, Paris and Seoul have been at odds over the method of return of the history books. “Oikyujanggak,” an annex of the royal library of the Joseon Kingdom, had been a key repository of Korean historical records. In 1866, it was burned down, and French troops took 297 books.

In 1993, Mitterrand returned only one of the items he promised to return to then President Kim Young-sam. Korea believed that restitution would be made sooner or later; and finally picked the TGV for its bullet train project.

Now Koreans have no choice but to believe Mitterrand's promise was a political show to win the multi-billion dollar contract. Negotiations resumed on the fate of the royal documents ahead of the G20 Seoul Summit scheduled for Nov.11 and 12. Paris is still skeptical over Seoul’s request to retrieve the documents with no strings attached. Now talks are under way that France will lend them under a contract to be renewed every three to five years.

France reportedly said restitution is against its law. The government is reportedly moving to accept the documents under a renewable-loan formula. If agreed, President Nicholas Sarkozy will deliver them to President Lee Myung-bak in Seoul next month.

Seoul should be principled in the negotiations. Once Korea accepts them on a renewable contract, it means Korea’s admission that the cultural assets belong to France. Korea must stick to the position that all stolen national property belong to Korea and must be returned.

If restitution is against the French law, the country should rewrite it. Getting back the stolen items is the right and justifiable thing for Korea and any other sovereign state to pursue. Once Korea accepts the loan formula, it means France will demand their return in the future.

We recall Sarkozy's giving back of an Egyptian mural painting to President Hosni Mubarak last December. The painting in question is one France allegedly bought. Once Korea makes a concession, it will be a bad precedent in negotiations with Japan and other countries over the return of stolen national property.

The government must adhere to the principle of a complete return. Precise wording should be specified in the agreement to preclude any possibility of a future French demand.

France should know that the protracted issue has made a negative impact on the Koreans' perception on the “cultural superpower.” The longer it delays the return, the more negative the image it will foster in the minds of Koreans.