World · East Asia & Pacific · 3 hrs ago
South Korea's National Museum chief resigns over misattributed calligraphy
You Hong-june resigned as director of South Korea's National Museum of Korea, and President Lee Jae Myung approved his resignation.
The dispute began at the museum's “Our Dining Table” exhibition, which opened in July.
A calligraphy work was wrongly presented as an independence activist's, but it was later identified as the writing of a prominent pro-Japanese collaborator during Japan's colonial rule of Korea.
The piece was also from You's private collection, raising questions about how it was selected and checked for the exhibition.
The museum removed the work, and You apologized, saying he was responsible for the mistake.
The controversy damaged trust in the national museum and caused distress to the independence activist's family, according to You.
He said he was stepping down to restore the museum's reputation; the sources do not say who will replace him.
You Hong-june resigned as director of the National Museum of Korea over a calligraphy work wrongly attributed to an independence activist.
The work was displayed in the museum’s “Our Dining Table” exhibition as the writing of activist Park Won-geun, but was identified as the work of pro-Japanese collaborator Park Jung-yang.
The work came from You’s private collection, and its ownership became public before a parliamentary audit.
You said the controversy was his responsibility and that he was stepping down to restore the museum’s tarnished honor.
President Lee Jae Myung approved You’s resignation on Oct. 21.
- Who
- You Hong-june, director of the National Museum of Korea, resigned. President Lee Jae Myung approved the resignation.
- What
- You stepped down amid a controversy over a calligraphy work that was wrongly attributed to an independence activist and came from You’s private collection.
- When
- He offered to resign on Oct. 21, 2026; the president approved it that day.
- Where
- The work was shown at the National Museum of Korea in Seoul.
- Why
- You said he was responsible for the controversy and needed to step down to restore the museum’s honor.
Critics of You
You Hong-june
Responsibility
Critics of You
Critics said an apology was not enough and called for him to take responsibility.
You Hong-june
You said all criticism over the matter was entirely his responsibility and offered to resign.
Handling the controversy
Critics of You
Critics faulted the museum’s verification and raised concerns about You displaying his own work.
You Hong-june
You said he had been convinced of the attribution because he specialized in calligraphy history; he said he had not hesitated to disclose his mistake.
You bought the calligraphy work at auction for 50,000 won, according to the Kyunghyang article.
The museum displayed the work in its “Our Dining Table” special exhibition as the writing of independence activist Park Won-geun.
You apologized at a parliamentary audit, where the controversy over the work was discussed.
You offered to resign, and President Lee Jae Myung approved his resignation.
- Museum
- National Museum of Korea
- Director
- You Hong-june
- Exhibition
- Our Dining Table
- Calligraphy attribution
- Park Won-geun was initially credited; the work was later identified as Park Jung-yang’s
- Auction price
- 50,000 won in 2019
- Approval date
- Oct. 21, 2026
11 sources
Culture ministry to audit ex-museum chief over misattributed calligraphy
‘셀프 출품’ 유홍준 국립중앙박물관장 사퇴
이 대통령, 유홍준 국립중앙박물관장 사직안 재가
[앵커리포트] ’부실 검증’에 ’셀프 출품’ 논란까지…유홍준 관장 사퇴
‘셀프 전시’ 유홍준, 결국 사의 표명···“실추된 박물관 명예 바로 세우기 위해 물러날 것”
What people are saying
All criticism over this matter is entirely my responsibility.
to restore the museum's tarnished honor
The deep trust the public has placed in the National Museum of Korea and the value our staff has built collapsed in an instant because of my personal mistake.