The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Yoon faces strong political backlash after Tokyo summit

  • 3

    Mask mandate on public transportation to end Monday

  • 5

    Apple Pay's imminent launch in Korea draws mixed responses

  • 7

    ANALYSISYoon-Kishida summit may 'raise ceiling' for trilateral cooperation with US: expert

  • 9

    North Korea fires ballistic missile as US bombers join drills

  • 11

    Land minister fortifies city building cooperation with Indonesia

  • 13

    Trump expects to be arrested Tuesday as DA eyes charges

  • 15

    Video footage highlights details of stepmother's fatal abuse of 12-year-old

  • 17

    Bitcoin extends super-rally amid SVB fiasco

  • 19

    N. Korea fires one SRBM towards East Sea: military

  • 2

    Woman killed in stopped car struck by bus on highway

  • 4

    Koreans wish to work less than 40 hours per week: survey

  • 6

    Centre Pompidou's Korean branch to open in 63 Building

  • 8

    New EU trade policies unnerve Korean firms

  • 10

    INTERVIEWNorth Korean-born chef delights Southerners' taste buds, breaks down cultural barriers

  • 12

    UBS eyeing swoop for Credit Suisse, sources say, amid fears of banking contagion

  • 14

    Could Doosan Robotics be valued at 1 trillion won in IPO?

  • 16

    Whisky sales at E-Mart outlets exceed soju sales in Jan.-Feb. period

  • 18

    Wartime sexual slavery, Dokdo not discussed in Yoon-Kishida summit: FM

  • 20

    Number of working Koreans aged 60 and above more than doubles in 10 years

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Tue, March 21, 2023 | 04:57
Society
Korean court says stolen statue must return to Japan
Posted : 2023-02-02 16:18
Updated : 2023-02-04 01:13
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
                                                                                                 The 50-centimeter gilt bronze Buddha statue was one of two stolen from Tsushima's Kannonji temple by thieves who attempted to sell them in Korea. Korea Times file
The 50-centimeter gilt bronze Buddha statue was one of two stolen from Tsushima's Kannonji temple by thieves who attempted to sell them in Korea. Korea Times file

A Korean court ruled Wednesday that a 14th-century Korean Buddhist statue should be sent back to a Japanese temple from where it was stolen in 2012.

The statue's return had been put on hold for years after a Korean temple claimed ownership of it, insisting that it was likely looted by medieval Japanese pirates before it ended up at a temple on Tsushima island, presumably in 1527.

The Korean temple is likely to appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court.

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said his government will encourage Seoul to facilitate the statue's swift return to Japan.

The 50-centimeter (20-inch) gilt bronze Buddha statue was one of two stolen from Tsushima's Kannonji temple by thieves who attempted to sell them in Korea.

Korea's government returned the other statue to the temple soon after police recovered the items from the thieves, who were arrested and prosecuted.

But Buseoksa temple in the western coastal city of Seosan filed a lawsuit to prevent the government from sending back the other statue, saying Buseoksa is the rightful owner. Korean historical records indicate that the statue, which is being kept at a state research institute in the central city of Daejeon, was created about 1330 to be enshrined at Buseoksa.

The Daejeon District Court ruled in 2017 that the government should return the statue to Buseoksa, saying it was likely taken to Japan through theft or pillage.

But the Daejeon High Court overturned the ruling on Wednesday, saying Japan's Kannonji had acquired legal ownership of the statue through continuous possession.

Under Japanese civil law, a person or entity may acquire ownership of a property that didn't originally belong to them if they possess it ''peacefully and openly'' for at least 20 years. This means that Kannonji has been the statue's legal owner since 1973 because it listed itself as a legal entity in 1953, the Daejeon High Court ruled.

The court also said it is difficult to establish whether the current Buseoksa temple should fully inherit the rights of the temple that originally possessed the statute in the 14th century despite sharing the same name, citing a lack of documents proving a succession in religious identity, organizational structure and property.

Buseoksa's representatives criticized the ruling and said they will discuss with their lawyers whether to appeal to the Supreme Court.

''We likely need to appeal as today's ruling was hard to understand and lacked legal logic,'' said Lee Sang-geun, who heads a committee of Buddhist leaders and civic activists pushing for the statue's return to Buseoksa.

Sekko Tanaka, Kannonji's former head monk, welcomed the ruling but questioned why the case has dragged out for more than a decade when it was essentially about a ''simple theft.''

''I'm grateful that the justice upheld our request,'' he told Japan's TBS television. ''I hope to see the statue returned to Kannonji as soon as possible.'' (AP)
 
LG Group
Top 10 Stories
1Woman killed in stopped car struck by bus on highway Woman killed in stopped car struck by bus on highway
2[INTERVIEW] North Korean-born chef delights Southerners' taste buds, breaks down cultural barriers INTERVIEWNorth Korean-born chef delights Southerners' taste buds, breaks down cultural barriers
3KAIST student becomes first Korean recipient of Apple Scholars fellowship KAIST student becomes first Korean recipient of Apple Scholars fellowship
4Commuters still wear masks despite end of mask mandate on public transportation Commuters still wear masks despite end of mask mandate on public transportation
5Korea sets record of half million economically inactive youth Korea sets record of half million economically inactive youth
6Public officials reluctant to dine with coworkers Public officials reluctant to dine with coworkers
7COVID-hit Myeong-dong bounces back as tourists return COVID-hit Myeong-dong bounces back as tourists return
8Brides in early 40s outnumber those in early 20s Brides in early 40s outnumber those in early 20s
9[Analysis] Yoon-Kishida meeting raises expectations of 3-way summit with ChinaAnalysisYoon-Kishida meeting raises expectations of 3-way summit with China
10Seoul event to promote Busan's Expo bid Seoul event to promote Busan's Expo bid
Top 5 Entertainment News
1[INTERVIEW] 'The Glory' actress Lim Ji-yeon says she wanted everyone to hate her character INTERVIEW'The Glory' actress Lim Ji-yeon says she wanted everyone to hate her character
2Competition among rookie boy groups to gain momentum Competition among rookie boy groups to gain momentum
3'Dansaekhwa' master's art museum to be prominent addition to Jeju Island's cultural fabric'Dansaekhwa' master's art museum to be prominent addition to Jeju Island's cultural fabric
4Film highlights discrimination against Chosun schools in Japan Film highlights discrimination against Chosun schools in Japan
5Kim Hee-ae, Moon So-ri team up for Netflix political drama 'Queenmaker' Kim Hee-ae, Moon So-ri team up for Netflix political drama 'Queenmaker'
DARKROOM
  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group