Calligraphy misattributed to independence activist at National Museum of Korea was owned by museum director

Response to inquiry from People Power Party lawmaker Jeong Yeon-uk

A calligraphic work bearing the inscription "Ilban sigugeum" on display at the National Museum of Korea. [National Museum of Korea/Yonhap]

A calligraphic work that the National Museum of Korea had attributed to independence activist Park Won-geun (1912–1950) — but was later found to be the work of pro-Japanese collaborator Park Jung-yang (1874–1959) and removed from display — was the personal property of museum Director Yu Hong-jun, it was confirmed Thursday.

According to materials obtained by People Power Party lawmaker Jeong Yeon-uk of the National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee, the museum told his office that it had "borrowed the work on the director's recommendation" and that "the owner of the work is Director Yu," Yonhap reported.

The National Museum of Korea had displayed the calligraphic inscription "Ilban sigugeum" — meaning "even a single bowl of rice is a grace bestowed by the nation" — at its special exhibition "Our Table," presenting it as the work of Park Won-geun, an independence activist from Boeun in North Chungcheong Province.

The phrase is attributed to Yeongyu, a Buddhist monk-warrior who led troops during the Imjin War.

The museum removed the work after the activist's descendants raised objections. Following a re-examination, it said the calligraphy was in fact by Park Jung-yang, a pro-Japanese collaborator who had at one point used the name Park Won-geun.

The museum told Jeong's office that it had "displayed the work through proper procedures following the director's recommendation" and that it had "judged the piece to be the work of independence activist Park based on information provided by the owner — Director Yu — among other sources." It added that the work's colophon read "Han-in Park Won-geun," and that at the time of the exhibition the museum had not identified the author as a pro-Japanese collaborator or as a person listed in the dictionary of pro-Japanese figures.

Director Yu Hong-jun: 'It pains me to have caused confusion for the public'

National Museum of Korea Director Yu Hong-jun. [Yonhap]

Yu had earlier issued a formal apology at a special lecture held at the National Museum of Korea's main auditorium last month, after the calligraphic work he had introduced as the creation of an independence activist was confirmed to be the work of a pro-Japanese collaborator.

"I apologize for what recently took place at the museum," Yu said. "It pains me deeply that a mistake involving the calligraphic work shown at the 'Our Table' exhibition caused confusion for the public."

Yu said the museum's exhibitions are "fundamentally concerned with material culture" and that he had introduced the calligraphic work to draw attention to the significance of a single bowl of rice in times of national hardship.

He added that "failing to read the precise meaning of the artifact reflects a lack of capability and is a mistake on our part," and that the museum would work to ensure such errors are not repeated.

"I feel a deep sense of responsibility," Yu said. "For a museum, avoiding even one mistake matters more than doing a hundred things right. I hope the meaning carried by the phrase 'Ilban sigugeum' will be remembered."

Park Jung-yang served during the Japanese colonial period as a member of the Central Advisory Council, governor of Hwanghae Province, governor of North Chungcheong Province, and an imperially appointed member of the Japanese Imperial Diet's House of Peers. He is also known to have participated in the suppression of the March 1st Independence Movement of 1919.

yul@heraldcorp.com