{
  "id": 15884023,
  "title": "National museum chief resigns over misattributed work from private collection",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/21/national-museum-chief-resigns-over-misattributed-work-from-private",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-21T12:17:04.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/society/20261021/national-museum-chief-resigns-over-misattributed-work-from-private-collection"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "You Hong-june, director of the National Museum of Korea, has resigned following controversy surrounding the display of a misattributed calligraphic work from his private collection. President Lee Jae Myung accepted his resignation on Wednesday. The piece, penned by a well-known pro-Japanese collaborator during Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule over Korea, was incorrectly credited to a Korean independence activist and was discovered to belong to You's personal collection.\n\nThe museum swiftly removed the item from its ongoing special exhibition in response to the controversy. In a statement to reporters, You acknowledged that he believes his resignation is necessary to restore the museum's tarnished reputation. He expressed deep regret, stating that the public's trust in the National Museum of Korea and the value his staff had built were shattered by his personal mistake. You emphasized that all criticism over this matter is his sole responsibility.\n\nYou, a respected art historian and author of the best-selling book series \"My Exploration of Cultural Heritage,\" expressed remorse over the situation.",
  "summary": "You Hong-june, director of the National Museum of Korea, resigned Wednesday amid a controversy over the museum's display of a misattributed calligraphic work from his private collection. He offered to resign earlier in the day, and President Lee Jae Myung accepted his resignation. You came under fire after the piece, written by a prominent pro-Japanese collaborator during Japan's 1910-45 colonial…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 4,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Yonhap News",
        "title": "National museum chief offers to resign over misattributed work from private collection",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/21/national-museum-chief-offers-to-resign-over-misattributed-work-from-15838202",
        "published": "2026-10-21T01:54:35.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "National museum chief offers to resign over misattributed work from private collection",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/21/national-museum-chief-offers-to-resign-over-misattributed-work-from",
        "published": "2026-10-21T02:27:03.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "ERR News Estonia",
        "title": "Museum Association warns against politicization of Estonian National Museum",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/21/museum-association-warns-against-politicization-of-estonian-national",
        "published": "2026-10-21T05:51:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}