The National Museum of Korea has confirmed that the calligraphy piece titled 'Ilban Siguk-eun (一飯是國恩),' previously attributed to patriot Park Won-geun (1912–1950), is actually the work of pro-Japanese collaborator Park Jung-yang (1874–1959).
On September 7, the museum announced the conclusion reached by its advisory committee following a thorough verification process. Initially, the museum had presented the work as authored by Park Won-geun. However, concerns arose regarding the signature 'Park Won-geun,' which could potentially be another name for Park Jung-yang, prompting the museum to withdraw the piece on August 10.
To ensure accurate verification, the museum appointed seven experts in calligraphy, modern history, ancient texts, and conservation science to cross-verify the artifact's history. The experts ultimately concluded that the work belonged to Park Jung-yang.
The analysis revealed similarities in the brushstroke techniques to those of Park Jung-yang, and the inscription on the piece matched a seal given to him by calligrapher Kim Tae-seok in 1932. Additionally, several calligraphy pieces circulated under the name 'Park Won-geun' in overseas auctions displayed the same handwriting and seal as 'Ilban Siguk-eun.' The museum determined that 'Park Won-geun' was a name used by Park Jung-yang during his studies in Japan.
Further literature research confirmed that Park Jung-yang used the name 'Park Won-geun' while selling his calligraphy across various locations in Japan. The term '韓人' used in the work and the Japanese-style mounting from the late 19th to early 20th century also aligned with his history in Japan. Based on this evidence, the museum concluded that the piece was created by Park Jung-yang during his time studying in Japan under the name 'Park Won-geun.'
The National Museum of Korea plans to explain the investigation process and results to the family of patriot Park Won-geun and will issue a formal apology. To prevent similar incidents in the future, the museum intends to strengthen pre-exhibition verification processes and expand its pool of experts in modern history.
Museum Director Yoo Hong-jun stated, “As the independent verifications from various fields have converged on a single conclusion, we take the results of this investigation seriously and will do our utmost in follow-up actions.” He added, “Accurate fact-checking regarding historical figures is a fundamental duty of the museum to the public, and we acknowledge our shortcomings in this instance.”
He further expressed his sincere apologies to the family and the public, who viewed the piece believing it to be a relic of their ancestor, stating, “We will enhance our verification procedures for exhibited items to ensure that such an incident does not occur again.”
* This article has been translated by AI.
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