A Bodhisattva Returns: Decades-Old Statue Dispute Resolved

The legal saga surrounding a 14th-century Korean Buddhist statue, stolen and transported to South Korea, reached its conclusion this week. After 13 years, the statue was returned to Japan's Kannonji temple, resolving a cross-border dispute that intensified Japan and South Korea's diplomatic friction.

The Bodhisattva statue, regarded as a cultural treasure, was clandestinely taken from Tsushima Island's Kannonji in 2012. Thieves aimed to sell it in South Korea, sparking a contentious legal struggle over rightful ownership involving South Korea's Buseoksa temple.

The South Korean Supreme Court's 2023 decision affirmed the Japanese temple's ownership, leading to the statue's ceremonial return this week. As the Bodhisattva relocates to a local museum, hopes for peaceful cultural exchanges between the nations have been rekindled despite heightened security measures.

(With inputs from agencies.)