Calligraphy Believed to Be by Independence Activist Found to Be Pro-Japanese Work... National Museum Admits Mistaken Attribution

'Ilbansiguk Eun' Undergoes Cross-Verification by Seven Experts

Name Used by Park Joong-yang During His Studies in Japan Confirmed

Evidence Includes 1932 Seal and Japanese Temple Records

Yoo Hongjoon Issues Another Apology, Admitting "

The National Museum of Korea has announced the final investigation results regarding an exhibit previously attributed to independence activist Park Wongeun, revealing that the piece was in fact created by Park Jungyang, a known pro-Japanese collaborator. The museum admitted that it failed to verify that both individuals had used the same name when submitting the work for exhibition. The museum has issued another apology to the bereaved family and the public and has pledged to strengthen its artifact verification procedures.

The exhibited work "General Public Sentiment" by Yoo Muk before Cheolsu. National Museum of Korea

On September 7, the National Museum of Korea released the findings of its investigation into the ink work "Ilbansiguk-eun (一飯是國恩)", which had been displayed at the special exhibition "Our Tables" and later withdrawn following an external tip-off. Based on cross-verification from seven experts in calligraphy, modern and contemporary history, classical literature, and conservation science, the museum concluded that the calligraphy was not that of independence activist Park Wongeun (1912–1950), but rather of Park Jungyang (1874–1959). The piece was written under the name "Park Wongeun (朴源根)" while Park Jungyang was studying in Japan.

"Ilbansiguk-eun" means "Even a single bowl of rice is a grace from the nation." The museum chose the piece for its historical value, as the phrase is believed to have originated from Buddhist monk Yeonggyu when recruiting volunteer soldiers during the Imjin War. At the special exhibition that opened on July 1, the ink work was introduced as that of Park Wongeun, the independence activist. However, when suspicion arose that the name "Park Wongeun" at the end of the artwork was an alias of pro-Japanese collaborator Park Jungyang, the piece was withdrawn on August 10. Two days later, the museum admitted its insufficient verification process and issued an apology.

Initially, the artwork was believed to be the calligraphy of independence activist Park Wongeun from Boeun, North Chungcheong Province. A photo was even released showing a bereaved family member weeping in the exhibition hall, believing the piece to be an heirloom of their ancestor. The misattribution by the museum led to issues not only with the art historical information, but also with misrepresenting the activist's legacy and the family's memories.

The main evidence from the investigation included calligraphy comparisons and seals. Experts compared "Ilbansiguk-eun" with other writings by Park Jungyang and found similar stroke characteristics. The phrase inscribed in the seal (touin) at the top of the piece, "Gyujomsanggama eonjombulgawi (圭?尙可磨 言?不可爲)," matched exactly the wording engraved for Park Jungyang by calligrapher Kim Taeseok at the end of 1932. This phrase, from the Chinese classic Shijing, means "A flaw in jade can be polished away, but a flaw in speech cannot be remedied."

Several calligraphy works signed "Park Wongeun" have also been identified on overseas auction sites, including those in Japan. These works share the same handwriting and seal as "Ilbansiguk-eun," and some were written for Japanese individuals. According to the investigation team, the word "Korean (韓人)" in the artwork was used by Korean students or visitors in Japan during the Korean Empire period to indicate their nationality when facing a Japanese audience.

A comparison of the calligraphy ‘Ilbansiguk-eun (一飯是國恩)’ presented during the ink verification process and another calligraphy by Park Jungyang. National Museum of Korea

Literary analysis further confirmed the distinction between the two individuals. The 2009 report, "Investigation Report on Pro-Japanese and Anti-National Acts," recorded "Park Wongeun" as an alias of Park Jungyang. Memoirs by Park Jungyang and resumes of officials of the Korean Empire included records of his studies in Japan and service as an interpreter during the Russo-Japanese War that corresponded to the activities of "Park Wongeun" found in Japanese records. The museum concluded that Park Jungyang used the name "Park Wongeun" during his time studying in Japan and changed it to Park Jungyang around 1903 when he returned to Korea.

Records indicate that Park Jungyang traveled to various regions in Japan, funding his stay by selling his calligraphy works. By contrast, independence activist Park Wongeun repeatedly suffered imprisonment due to his work in underground organizations, and had no records of residing in Japan. The panel of experts concluded that it would have been inconsistent with the activist's life for him to have produced and distributed a large quantity of calligraphy works abroad or written inscriptions for Japanese individuals.

A conservation science review also determined that the mounting of the artwork likely dates to the late 19th or early 20th century. Both the method of mounting the hanging scroll and the textiles used revealed traits characteristic of modern Japanese presentation. Combining these findings with evidence from handwriting, seals, and historical records, the museum concluded that the work is by Park Jungyang.

During the Japanese colonial era, Park Jungyang held positions as advisor, consultant, and vice president of the Central Council of the Government-General of Korea, and was appointed as an Imperial Japanese Diet peer. He was identified as a pro-Japanese collaborator for activities such as serving as an advisor to the National Defense Corps of Korea.

Although the true creator of the work has now been clarified, the incident exposes the problem that the National Museum of Korea presented the artifact without sufficiently verifying the historical figure's identity. The museum plans to explain the investigation process and results to the bereaved family of Park Wongeun and to issue another apology. It will also strengthen pre-exhibition verification of artifacts and exhibit contents, and expand its pool of internal and external experts specializing in modern and contemporary history.

Yoo Hongjun, Director General of the National Museum of Korea, stated, "The most fundamental duty of the museum before the public is to verify the facts about historical figures accurately, and we fell short in this regard," adding, "Once again, I sincerely apologize to the bereaved family and the public." He continued, "Going forward, we will further strengthen our verification procedures for exhibits to ensure that this does not happen again."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.