Court Rules Nam June Paik's 'My Faust' Series Belongs to Late Kim Woo-jung's Widow

A South Korean court has determined that two significant artworks from Nam June Paik's 'My Faust' series, along with another piece, are the property of the widow of the late Daewoo Group chairman, Kim Woo-jung. The ruling stems from a lawsuit filed by Jung Hee-ja, Kim's widow, who sought the return of 188 art pieces she had loaned to the Wooyang Museum, formerly Art Sonje Museum, in Gyeongju. The Seoul Central District Court's Civil Division 34 partially sided with Jung, acknowledging her ownership of three specific works, including Paik's renowned series. Jung had initiated the legal action last July, asserting that these artworks, part of her personal collection exhibited when Daewoo Development opened the Gyeongju Hilton Hotel and Art Sonje Museum in 1991, were not returned after the 1997 Asian financial crisis led to the dissolution of the Daewoo Group and the transfer of management rights to Wooyang Industrial Development. The court's decision recognizes Jung's claim over these valuable pieces, resolving a dispute over their possession.