‘애국지사 글씨’ 알고 보니 친일파 것?…국중박 “검증 미흡 사과”

A special exhibition titled "Our Family's Dinner Table" opened at Seoul's National Central Museum last month, featuring a calligraphy work attributed to Korean independence activist Park Won-guen (1912-1950). This led to an allegation that the work may have been created by the allegedly "collaborating with Japan" collaborator, Park Jeong-yang.

In response, the museum posted an apology on its website dated 12th of the month, saying that it had returned the artifact for a thorough check before its display. The disputed artifact is a Chinese-character calligraphy piece reading "一飯是國恩", meaning "A bowl of rice is the nation's grace". This phrase was originally attributed to Korean war hero Yi Ui-gye (1547-1592) during the 16th-century Japanese invasions of Korea.

After learning that the piece actually belonged to Park Jeong-yang, descendants of the original owner cried in front of the exhibit. The museum said it received a report from the calligraphy community in South Korea, leading to a professional appraisal of the work. Park Jeong-yang was a key collaborator with Japan during the colonial period, serving in high-ranking positions in the Korean territories of present-day North and South Gyeongsang, and as a member of the Imperial Diet.

The "Encyclopedia of Korean National Culture" records that Park Jeong-yang was considered the top contributor to colonial governance during the 25 years of Japanese rule. The museum said it had identified the facts and taken the artifact back for a comprehensive check before its display. In the apology, the museum expressed remorse for the confusion and regret faced by the descendants of the original owner and pledged to improve the verification of artifacts in the future.