The U.S. government has agreed to return a set of Korean national treasures, shipped out of here by an American soldier during the 1950-53 Korean War, when President Barack Obama visits Seoul this week, a government source said Sunday.
Obama is expected to arrive in Seoul on Friday for a two-day official visit, following a three-day stay in Tokyo.
"Washington has almost agreed to return the nine ancient Korean seals to Seoul on the occasion of Obama's visit to Seoul," the source said.
Last November, U.S. customs authorities seized the seals from the family of a deceased U.S. Marine lieutenant who served in the three-year war in Korea. One of the seals is the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1901) Royal Seal among other Korean treasures.
Especially, Hwangjejibo (Seal of the Emperor), the national seal made upon the establishment of the Korean Empire in 1897, is deemed highly significant both academically and historically as it symbolizes King Gojong's will for independence.
South Korea had been in talks with the U.S. over the return of the seals.
Under a United Nations convention on illegally shipped cultural assets, the seals were originally scheduled to be returned to South Korea in June this year.
According to the Seoul government, two more Korean royal seals are also in the United States after another American soldier shipped them out of the country in the early 1950s, but it is expected to take a significant amount of time to bring them back because their holder is reluctant to return them. (Yonhap)