South Korea court rejects temple’s claim to statue it says pirates pillaged

The 20-inch gilt bronze statue of a Buddhist Bodhisattva was stolen from a Japanese temple in 2012 by South Korean thieves, who have been caught making an attempt to promote it after returning dwelling.

The Buseoksa temple in South Korea filed a authorized case in 2016 claiming possession of the statue, which has been within the custody of the federal government, saying Japanese pirates had plundered it within the 14th century.

But a South Korean excessive court docket on Wednesday overturned a 2017 choice in favor of the temple and rejected its declare to the statue, saying the federal government, the defendant within the case, now needed to return it within the correct means.

“The defendant needs to deal with the issue of returning the statue in consideration of international law, norms and conventions concerning the protection and return of cultural properties,” the court docket stated in an announcement.

It stated that even when the Buseoksa temple had owned the statue within the early 1300s, there was a scarcity of proof to find out that the temple had maintained its “identity and continuity” through the years.

The 20-inch gilt bronze statue was stolen from a Japanese temple in 2012. Credit: Tsushima City Board of Education

An official on the temple advised reporters it will enchantment to the Supreme Court and attempt to discover extra proof to assist its declare.

The case has been intently watched in each nations, conventional rivals whose relations have for many years been frayed by historic feuds.

South Korea’s overseas ministry referred media queries to the Cultural Heritage Administration. An official on the company stated it didn’t touch upon court docket selections.

Japan would take follow-up motion in session with South Korea and the Japanese temple, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno stated in Tokyo.

“The Japanese government will encourage the Korean government to return the statue,” he advised a briefing.

The Japanese temple, Kannonji, was not a direct celebration to the go well with however had argued on the trial that the artifact was not acquired illegally by way of pirates however by way of professional commerce.