South Korea returns looted Qing dynasty lions to China in cultural diplomacy win

South Korea has symbolically returned a pair of Qing dynasty marble lion sculptures to China, a move aimed at strengthening bilateral relations through cultural diplomacy. The two imposing statues, each standing 1.9 meters tall and weighing 1.25 tonnes, were officially handed over by the Kansong Art Museum in Seoul on Thursday and were scheduled to be transported to China on Friday.

The ceremony was attended by senior cultural officials and diplomats from both countries, underscoring the significance of the gesture. These lions have been a fixture at the Kansong Art Museum's entrance for over eight decades. Their return fulfills an agreement made in January during South Korean President Lee Jae Myung's visit to Beijing, where he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

According to local media, the museum had considered returning the artifacts more than ten years ago. However, the plan was put on hold due to strained relations between the two nations, particularly following South Korea's 2016 deployment of the US THAAD missile defense system, which China perceived as a security threat. The improved bilateral ties since President Lee took office in 2025 appear to have revitalized momentum for the sculptures' repatriation.

Experts from both China and South Korea have identified the lions as Qing dynasty artifacts, carved from marble quarried in northern China. This repatriation is seen as a positive step in repairing the relationship between the two East Asian neighbors, leveraging shared cultural heritage to foster goodwill and cooperation.