ICPRCP (Intergovernmental Committee for Promoting the Return of Cultural Property to its countries of origin or restitution in case of illicit appropriation) is an affiliated organization of UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization). The first extraordinary meeting of the ICPRCP Committee took place in Seoul on the 27th and 28th of November 2008 to celebrate its thirty years of existence. Many countries had discussions, and they encouraged return of illegally transferred cultural properties to their homeland and their rightful owner. Thanks to those efforts, a Korean was elected chairperson for the duration of this session. However, most looted assets are rarely returned. Conflicts still remain, both at home and abroad.
France looted many precious documents of Korea such as Jikji (the world's oldest extant movable metal print book) and Uigue (a collection of Korean royal texts) which were originally preserved in Oegyujanggak (royal library of the Joseon Dynasty). There are 297 volumes in France. However the French government refuses to return them. If they are returned to Korea, other countries are bound to follow suit.
According to the Cultural Heritage Administration of Korea, 107,857 Korean cultural assets are scattered throughout 20 countries. Japan has 34,369, the United States has 8,635, and the United Kingdom has 6,610. Most of those assets were plundered or smuggled. Among them, only 4,800 have been returned to Korea. Moreover, some of them were rather quotidian articles of olden Korea such as straw shoes that could hardly be regarded as cultural asset.
The Kookmin Review had an interview with Hyemun, the Buddhist priest serving as the secretary-general of the Restitution Committee of Culture Assets. He stressed the significance of taking back cultural assets and the validity of the movement: "This movement is based upon a simple idea, 'cultural asserts are originally ours', but it also has a lot of intangible values. How many assets have been plundered by Japan or other countries? I hope and believe that the historical wounds could be healed through the restitution of those assets."
How were they taken out to begin with? Mostly they were plundered or smuggled. But some of them were taken out by Koreans. One of the most representative examples, according to some critics, is Mr. and Mrs. Gregory Henderson Collection. Gregory Henderson, who was a former US Foreign Service Officer, served at US embassy in Seoul from 1948 to 1950. Many Koreans were reportedly in line to give cultural assets to him. The Henderson collection is comprised of 150 pottery produced in Korea. It is regarded as a fine collection of pottery, and now it°Øs placed at Harvard University. The Restitution Committee believes that returning these assets to Korea is the best way to cleanse national disgrace. "When I face past faults", continues Hyemun, "I am overwhelmed with shame and sorrow. But if we try to take them back, we can give an honorable future to our posterity. So we will keep doing this until they are returned completely."
Since a century has passed, there are so many difficulties in taking back cultural assets. However, University of Tokyo agreed to return 47 out of 74 volumes of the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty to Korea (which were originally kept in Mt. Odae) to Seoul National University in July 2006. It is expected to serve as a positive precedent. Joseon royal documents and “Myeongseong hwanghu gukjang dogam uigwe” (Manual of Superintendency for the State Funeral of Empress Myeongseong-hwanghu) taken out by the Japanese Government General of Korea in 1922, are the next goal of the Committee.
However, there is skepticism about this movement, too. A Kookminian, who declined to be named, emphasized possible disadvantages of restitution. "Surely, looting is bad, but think the other way! As the assets are overseas, they can promote Korean traditional culture. A lot of people around the world could become familiar with our heritage by visiting French National Library, for example. Moreover, Korea's cultural management ability is known to be poor. And don't forget Korean War: Had the assets remained in Korea, many of them would have been lost. And think about the deplorable carelessness of our own selves in the recent loss of Korea's No.1 national treasure, Sungnyemun. Some assets may be better off overseas."
For taking back national treasures, many steps need to be taken. It is clear that many Koreans want to find the historically significant assets, but there are only few voices. To take them back, many efforts are needed. The government alone cannot do this. Also, we have to prepare ways to manage the assets when they are returned.