Ahn Whee-joon, Professor Emeritus at Seoul National University Who Established the Foundation of Korean Art History, Passes Away

Ahn Whee-joon, a distinguished professor emeritus at Seoul National University who laid the groundwork for Korean art history studies, passed away on July 20 at the age of 86.

Professor Ahn graduated from Seoul National University's Department of Archaeology and Art History. He furthered his studies in art history at Harvard and Princeton universities in the United States before returning to Korea. He then taught at Hongik University's College of Fine Arts before joining Seoul National University's Department of Archaeology and Art History, where he made significant contributions to the field.

His extensive research on the history of Korean painting resulted in influential publications such as 'History of Korean Painting' and 'Tradition of Korean Painting.' Beyond his academic work, Professor Ahn served in numerous leadership positions, including president of the Korean Association of Art History, director of the Seoul National University Museum, and advisory committee member for the establishment of the National Museum of Korea. He also chaired the National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage.

From 2012 to 2016, he served as the first president of the Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation (now the Foundation for Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage), dedicating his efforts to the repatriation of Korean cultural assets from abroad. His contributions were recognized with accolades such as the Okgwan Order of Cultural Merit in 2006 and the Korean Academy of Science Award for Humanities in 2015. He is survived by his wife, Kim Yoo-jung, his son, Woo-young, and his daughter, Ji-hyun. The funeral service will be held at Seoul National University Hospital, with the procession scheduled for the morning of July 22.