Dr. Park Byeong-seon

[Traveler]
What are these medals and prizes? They are dedicated to the Korean (laughter) Dr. Park who promoted Jikji to the world. When Jikji was kept at the French National Library, and its existence virtually unknown to most Koreans, she was working there. Knowing about the existence of Jikji, a metal-type printed book, she proved that it was Korea's great treasure after three years of research. Thanks to her efforts, Jikji came to be known at home and abroad, finally leading it to be listed as a World Heritage.

Her efforts did not stop there. She persistently tried to persuade the French to return to Korea the books that the French took in 1866 during its invasion of Korea. Of 340 books, many are precious materials about important royal ceremonies and protocols. Thanks to 36 years of effort on her part, 296 precious ancient books were returned to Korea in 2011.

Those royal books were finally returned to their home in Korea 145 years later. Though not a Hollywood super star celebrity, they were met with a great welcome at the airport by 100 journalists and many citizens of Korea. At the one-month exhibition of the books after their return to Korea, as many as 100,000 people came to see them.

Moreover, another 100,000 precious pieces of Korea's cultural heritage are said to be kept overseas. They were smuggled to foreign countries in the course of the Imperialist era, like the Elgin Marbles of the Greek Parthenon and the Egyptian Pharaoh's relics. Cultural heritages connect a country's past and present spirit and culture. It is to be hoped that our cultural heritages scattered around the world will one day be returned to Korea.