[News Today] Royal Joseon shrine returns from Japan

[LEAD]
A royal shrine from Korea's Joseon Dynasty has returned home after a hundred years in Japan. With few records remaining, research is now underway to trace the shrine's original site and purpose.

[REPORT]
A Buddhist temple in Kamakura city in Japan known for its huge statue of a Buddha.

At one corner of the temple, there stood a Korean Joseon era shrine.

Fancy designs on structures buttressing the roof and various patterns of dragons and spiders engraved on roof tiles.

And as well as colorful paintwork....

These are trademark characteristics of architecture related to royal families. It's believed the building was a Joseon dynasty royal shrine.

Now it has returned to Korea a century after it was taken to Japan.

Choi Eung-chon / Administrator, Korea Heritage Service
It marks the first case of a lone building disassembled for repatriation. It's meaningful that it happened this year marking 60 yrs of bilateral diplomatic ties.

Scholars believe the Joseon royal family collateralized this shrine while borrowing money and the creditor Joseon Siksan Bank gave this building to a Japanese business person and that's how it ended up in Japan.

The shrine was used as a prayer hall at the temple in Japan until the temple's head monk decided to repatriate the building to Korea free of charge.

Takao Sato / Head of Kotoku-in temple
I came to know the building's historical importance as I became head monk. With repatriation being a global trend, we decided to return the national asset.

However with almost no related records remaining, it's not known where the shrine was originally located or how it was used.

■ 제보하기
▷ 전화 : 02-781-1234, 4444
▷ 이메일 : kbs1234@kbs.co.kr
▷ 카카오톡 : 'KBS제보' 검색, 채널 추가
▷ 카카오 '마이뷰', 유튜브에서 KBS뉴스를 구독해주세요!

KBS