Visitors stroll through the National Museum of Korea's first permanent gallery dedicated to the "Oegyujanggak Uigwe," Thursday. Yonhap

The National Museum of Korea (NMK) will unveil its first permanent gallery dedicated to the "Oegyujanggak Uigwe" on Friday.

The "Oegyujanggak Uigwe" is a collection of royal protocols that documented and illustrated the procedures of key state ceremonies, including weddings, funerals and banquets, of the 1392-1910 Joseon Kingdom. These artifacts were looted by the French navy during an 1866 incursion into Korea and were thought lost for over a century.

It wasn't until 1975 that librarian and historian Park Byeong-seon (1923-2011) rediscovered the treasured documents in a dust-covered storage facility at the National Library of France. And after 145 years of absence, they made their long-awaited return to their homeland in 2011, arriving as a "permanent loan."

The "Oegyujanggak Uigwe" is a collection of royal protocols that documented and illustrated the procedures of key state ceremonies in the 1392-1910 Joseon Kingdom. Eight volumes — from the full collection of 297 — will be on display at a time at the museum's new gallery. Yonhap

The NMK's opening of the new gallery follows two special exhibitions and the publication of an extensive seven-volume academic series devoted to this storied collection.

In a 195-square-meter space inspired by the interiors of the original "Oegyujanggak" archive on Ganghwa Island, the gallery showcases two types of "Uigwe" copies: unique editions and volumes designed for the king's personal review.

Eight volumes will be on display at a time, rotating quarterly from the full collection of 297.

Among the highlights of the inaugural exhibition are a volume detailing the restoration of spirit tablets at Jongmyo Shrine after the 1636 Manchu invasion of Korea, as well as records of King Sukjong's three royal weddings.

To enhance public access to the "Uigwe" documents — originally written in Chinese characters and challenging to examine within glass vitrines — the museum is offering virtual versions alongside the physical display.

These digital editions feature translations in Korean and English, along with illustrations and videos, with an aim to make the collection more immersive for all visitors.

Visitors flip through pages of the digital editions of the "Uigwe" documents, Thursday, which are offered alongside the physical display to enhance accessbility. Yonhap