A South Korean temple that claimed the ownership of a Buddha statue stolen from a Japanese temple will return the statue to the original owner next spring, it has been learned.
Buseoksa Temple in the central South Korea city of Seosan plans to give the statue back to Kannonji Temple on Tsushima, an island in Nagasaki Prefecture, after holding a 100-day memorial service between March and May, a person related to the South Korean temple said.
The Kanzeon Bodhisattva statue, a Nagasaki-designated cultural property, was taken away from Kannonji to South Korea by a South Korean thief ring. In October 2023, the South Korean Supreme Court affirmed the Japanese temple’s ownership, rejecting Buseoksa’s claim that it was robbed of the statue by Wako Japanese pirates in the 14th century. Since the ruling, the Japanese and South Korean governments have been taking steps to realize its return.
Noting that Kannonji has already given the nod to the memorial service to pray for the repose of the statue, the informed source said Buseoksa initially examined the idea of holding the event in winter in consideration of Kannonji’s hope for an early return but has found it impossible to do so because it snows heavily around the Seosan temple.
From now on, Kannonji will submit necessary documents to South Korea’s prosecutor’s office that is taking custody of the statue so Buseoksa can hold the memorial service, the source added.