The National Museum of Korea mistakenly identified a calligraphy piece as the work of a patriotic activist from Boeun, only to later confirm it was written by pro-Japanese figure Park Jung-yang (1874–1959). It has now been revealed that the artifact was part of the personal collection of Yuhongjun, the museum's director.
In addition to the controversy over the inadequate verification of the artifact, it has come to light that the museum head recommended his own collection for display, and he concealed his ownership even after the controversy arose, leading to accusations of ethical misconduct and 'art laundering.'
On October 15, Representative Jeong Yeon-wook of the ruling People Power Party revealed documents from the National Museum of Korea, confirming that the disputed calligraphy, titled 'General Situation' (一飯是國恩, meaning 'Even a bowl of rice is a nation's grace'), is indeed part of Yuhongjun's collection.
Yuhongjun reportedly acquired the calligraphy for just 50,000 won during an online auction in 2019, where it was initially listed with a starting price of 10,000 won.
The calligraphy was displayed in the museum's special exhibition 'Our Table' held in July. Despite the lack of comparable artifacts, the museum asserted it was the work of independence activist Park Won-geun (1912–1950) based on Yuhongjun's claims and the signature 'Han-in (韓人) Park Won-geun.'
At the exhibition's opening, Yuhongjun promoted the calligraphy as containing the words of the first commander of the righteous army during the Imjin War, stating, 'Even a bowl of rice is a nation's grace,' and expressed that it was a deeply moving piece.
However, just over a month after the opening, it was revealed through a tip that 'Park Won-geun' was another name for Park Jung-yang, a prominent collaborator with the Japanese colonial government. Following verification, the museum promptly removed the calligraphy from display.
Throughout this process, both the museum and Yuhongjun acknowledged the inadequacy of their verification procedures in four separate apologies, admitting, 'This was a failure of capability and a mistake, and we take full responsibility.' However, they did not disclose that Yuhongjun was the owner of the calligraphy, leading to accusations of intentional concealment.
In response, the museum stated, 'We did not disclose the owner's identity in accordance with privacy laws and the ethical standards of the International Council of Museums (ICOM).' They added that Yuhongjun had previously donated 865 items, including paintings, ceramics, and folk artifacts, for the establishment of the Buyeo Municipal Art Museum, and that he intended to donate the calligraphy as well.
However, reactions from the cultural and political sectors have been cold. Critics argue that the museum director's act of recommending his own unverified calligraphy for a national exhibition constitutes a serious conflict of interest and abuse of power.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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