The Late Samsung Boss Donated 2 Trillion Won Of Artworks, Monet's Works To National Treasures

South Korean Culture Minister Hwang Hee announced the donation of artwork from the family of the late Samsung boss Lee Kun-hee. (Source: Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism)

JAKARTA - Famous as the richest person in South Korea, the late Samsung Group Head Lee Kun-hee was not only rich in wealth, where his heirs had to pay inheritance taxes of up to IDR 155 trillion, the biggest record in South Korea.

Lee apparently also loves art. This can be seen from the collection of his works of art, which counts well, in terms of value, there are also categories of South Korean national treasures.

Launching the Korea Times, Wednesday, April 28, Lee Kun-hee's family agreed to donate around 23,000 works of art, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced. Its value, is believed to be worth around 2 trillion won.

About 21,600 pieces of art, including 60 works of art with national treasure status, will be donated to the National Museum of Korea. Among these are the Joseon era landscape painting, "Inwang Jaseokdo," by painter Jeong Seon, designated as National Treasure No. 216 in 1984. And a Buddha painting from the Goryeo era entitled, "Painting of the Bodhisattva of Great Compassion with a Thousand Arms," which was designated as National Treasure No. 2015 in 2019.

Around 1,400 works will be donated to the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA). This includes historical works by South Korean painters such as Lee Jung-seob's "Bull" and Park Soo-keun's "Woman Pounding Grain".

There are also a number of paintings by well-known international painters, such as Claude Monet's "Le Bassin Aux Nympheas", Salvador Dali's "Family of Marsupial Centaurs" and Pierre-Auguste Renoir's "La Lecture".

While most of the contemporary collections will be sent to MMCA, some will be donated to museums in provinces outside Seoul. The National Museum of Korea will unveil Lee's art collection to the public starting in June, while the MMCA will begin doing so in August.

"We would like to thank the family of the late Chairman Lee, who donated a collection of cultural assets and works of art for the development and prosperity of Korean culture and arts," said Culture Minister Hwang Hee.

"This donation will help us preserve cultural assets, protect people's rights to enjoy and take advantage of culture, and revitalize local museums and art galleries," he concluded.