[CPProt.net] Korea: Museum, Temple Go to Court Over Stolen Artifact

[MSN CPPnet (Ton Cremers)]

Museum, Temple Go to Court Over Stolen Artifact
 

By Han Eun-jung
Staff Reporter

The Hoam Art Museum is being accused by a Buddhist temple that an artifact
currently on display is a piece that was stolen from its grounds.
Hyundung-sa Temple on Monday lodged a civil petition with the Seoul District
Court asking for mediation of the dispute over the ownership of the sarira
reliquary.

The reliquary, which had been enshrined in the temple's three-story pagoda,
was discovered to be missing in 2003. A year later, temple officials found
it in the possession of the Hoam Art Museum. 

``Because the sarira is a registered cultural property and human remains are
not subject to trade, it should be returned immediately,'' Hyundung-sa
Temple officials insisted.

The museum, which was founded by the late Samsung Group founder Lee
Byung-chull, released a statement Monday that Lee purchased the piece in
1981 from the late Kim Dong-hyun, a metal arts collector and expert. 

``Purchased from a respected collector, the museum has never had reason to
question the piece's acquisition,'' the museum said.

The museum said it will decide on how it will go about this issue after it
is officially notified by the court. 



ejh09 at koreatimes.co.kr 

08-23-2005 18:06