Almost A Year Not Returned, REMOVEd South Korean Desak Returning An Ancient Buddha Statue Stolen

The Buddha statue found by a team of researchers from the Center for Global Archaeological Research (PPAG) and the University of Malaysian Science (USM) at the Archaeological Heritage Site of Bukit Choras, Yan, Kedah, Malaysia. (Facebook of State Heritage Position/PPAG Universiti Sain Malaysia)

JAKARTA - The city council in triangulatory Prefecture, southwest Japan, passed a resolution calling for South Korea to return the stolen ancient Buddha statue. The statue is claimed to be owned by a temple in the region.

City council member Tsushima said the unanimous vote of resolution was addressed to the South Korean Ambassador to Japan and the South Korean Consulate General in Fukuoka.

The statue, which was designated as a cultural asset of the prefecture, was stolen from the Kannonji Temple in 2012, and later discovered in South Korea.

Reporting from NHK, Friday, September 27, the Busuksa Temple in South Korea claimed ownership of the statue and filed a lawsuit.

South Korea's Supreme Court ruled last October that the Japanese temple was the owner of the statue. However, nearly a year has passed since the verdict but the statue has not been returned.

Resolution on Thursday stated that Tsushima residents hoped the statue would be returned because the ownership of the Cannonji Temple had been officially recognized.

By describing the statue as Tsushima's asset, the resolution demands that South Korean officials return it as soon as possible.

The City Council of Tsushima said this is the first time the council has passed such documents addressed to South Korea regarding the issue.