Effort to repatriate Ahn Jung-geun's calligraphy 'Independence' stalled for a year

Gyeonggi Province's initiative to repatriate Ahn Jung-geun's calligraphy work 'Independence' to South Korea has been stalled for a year due to a Japanese owner's change of stance. The province had been pursuing the return of the artwork, a significant piece by the Korean independence activist, as part of the 80th anniversary of Korea's liberation.

Originally, the province had secured a budget of 1.3 billion won to facilitate the purchase and bring the artwork back to South Korea. However, the owner's wavering decision has put the repatriation efforts on hold. If the transaction is not finalized within the current year, the allocated funds will be returned to the treasury and marked as unspent.

The calligraphy work, featuring the Korean characters for 'Independence' (독립), holds symbolic importance in commemorating the nation's struggle for freedom. The prolonged delay raises concerns about the potential loss of this historical artifact from Korean heritage.