By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter
A seal used by King Gojong ― the 26th king of the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910) ― for official duties has been proven to be authentic, according to the National Palace Museum of Korea and Cultural Heritage Administration.
The museum acquired King Gojong's turtle-shaped seal last December from a Korean collector in the United States. For three months, the seal has been undergoing careful examination and analysis to establish its authenticity.
Officials said this is the first time an original seal used by a Joseon king has been discovered. The National Palace Museum has three royal seals, or ``eobo,'' which were used for protocol purposes. This one, however, has characters that read the ''king's official seal.'' There are plans for the government to declare the seal a national treasure.
The seal, made of gold and silver, will be shown to the public in an exhibition, the exact date of which is yet to be announced. Previous exhibitions have featured only replicas of Joseon Kingdom seals.
``As shown in past letters sent to the kings of Germany, Italy, Russia and France, King Gojong used two seals for his correspondence abroad. We have obtained one of the seals, which will be shown to the public soon,'' museum and cultural heritage officials said, in a joint statement.
Officials believe the seal was made between 1901 and 1903 and was used in a letter sent to Italy's king in 1903, a turbulent time in Korean history ahead of Japan's annexation of the country (1910-1945).
The Joseon kings used seals to sign official documents, letters and other correspondence. None of the original seals had been found until the discovery of King Gojong's. They were believed to have been destroyed by the Japanese authorities at the start of the occupation of Korea.