Rare Law Script In The Joseon Era Lost Wealth Status Due To History Of Theft

JAKARTA - A rare historical document from the early years of the Joseon 1392-1910 Dynasty, "Daemyeongnyul", also known as the "Cib of the Ming Agung Law", lost the status of the country's Treasurer because of its history of theft before it was enacted.

This marks the first time in Korean history that the state-recognized cultural heritage title has been lifted.

In a recent meeting, the cultural heritage committee moved to review the "Daemyeongnyul" case and finally approved the cancellation of its status, according to the Korean Heritage Service on Tuesday, quoted from The Korea Times March 14.

The agency explained that after the document was registered as Treasure in 2016, the history of its controversial acquisition and fraudulent methods used to secure its status were revealed.

Given this situation, officials decided to revoke the classification retroactively based on the General Law on Public Administration.

This cancellation, driven by the discovery of administrative negligence after the stipulation, differs from the formal declassification, which only occurs when cultural assets are deemed to have lost their historical value.

The disclosure of the problematic artifact was revealed in November 2016, four months after being given official status.

During a series of investigations into looting targeting Buddhist temples, historic sites and heirlooms throughout Korea, the Gyeonggi Bukbu Provincial Police Agency identified "Daemyeongnyul" as stolen goods.

In fact, the document was reported missing in 2011 by its owner, Marinshindang, which began as a private village school in Gyeongju in 1878.

According to police investigations, director of a private museum in North Gyeongsang Province bought the relic in 2012 from a black market trader for 15 million won, before submitting a request for his appointment as Treasurer.

He allegedly falsified his origin at the time, claiming the object was inherited from his late father. After his involvement in trading was revealed, the museum director was prosecuted and, in 2021, sentenced to three years in prison.

Regarding why the expert committee responsible for reviewing the artifact failed to recognize the object had been reportedly stolen before it was designated a historic object, the Korean Heritage Service stated, "Even if reports of theft have been filed, it is difficult to verify it at the time because, unlike it is today, detailed photos of the relic are not available for comparison."

It is known, "Daemyeongnyul" is considered one of the most important sources to study the early Joseon criminal law. After the establishment of Joseon, King Taejo stated that the kingdom would interpret and adapt the "Sung Agung Law Law" in accordance with its own criminal law framework.

This particular copy is believed to be the only existing edition published in 1389 and, although some of its pages are missing, its condition is still relatively good.

Currently, the artifact is stored at the Korean National Palace Museum.