US Museum to return Joseon Dynasty stamp to South Korea

A U.S. museum has decided to return a stamp used by Korea’s Joseon Dynasty queen (1392-1910) after confirming it was stolen by an American soldier during the 1950-53 Korean War, A South Korean lawmaker said Thursday. Lawmaker An Min-suk of the main opposition Democratic Party said officials at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art expressed their intention to return the artifact to South Korea and issued a statement confirming the decision. “Our persistent efforts to collect evidence and demand (the stamp) be repatriated have been met,” An told reporters in front of the museum. The stamp, which belonged to Queen Munjeong (1501-1565), the third wife of Joseon’s 11th King Jungjong, is believed to have been stolen from Seoul’s Jongmyo Temple by American soldiers during the Korean War. The Museum said it decided to return the stamp to South Korea after receiving confirmation through an internal investigation that the artifact had been removed from the temple illegally, according to the statement. The Museum bought the seal in an auction in 2000. Museum officials have asked to meet with South Korean government officials to discuss the details involved in returning the stamp, the lawmaker said. He added that the artifact could be returned as early as the end of this year.