Stolen Buddhist statue returned to Japan after 12 years
According to the Kyodo news agency, the statue of the Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, owned by Kannon Temple on Tsushima, a Nagasaki Prefecture island, was handed over in South Korea to people representing the Japanese temple on Saturday.
The artefact is designated as a cultural asset by the prefecture.
The statue, which was airlifted to Fukuoka Prefecture on the southwestern main island of Kyushu and then transported to Tsushima by ferry, is expected to be stored at a museum after a ceremony at the temple, the source said.
After the statue was stolen, the South Korean authorities arrested the thieves and confiscated it. In 2016, however, Buseoksa Temple in the country filed a lawsuit claiming that the statue had been plundered by Japanese pirates hundreds of years ago.
In 2023, South Korea's Supreme Court ruled favouring Kannon Temple's ownership.
The return procedures were completed in January.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
10 hours ago
- The Star
Trio sent to prosecutors in S. Korea for illegally selling BTS' flight information
SEOUL: Three people, including an employee at a foreign airline, were referred to the prosecution in South Korea for illegally obtaining and selling the flight information of celebrities, including K-pop group BTS (pic), industry sources said on Tuesday (July 22). The foreign airline employee is suspected of illegally obtaining the flight information of BTS members and other major celebrities and handing it over to accomplices, who then sold it through direct messages or open chat rooms on social media platforms. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's cyber investigation unit, which has been handling the case, reportedly secured evidence showing how the employee illegally accessed internal airline information and engaged in financial transactions with the accomplices. Although the exact amount was not disclosed, the employee allegedly received tens of millions of won in return. Hybe, the South Korean entertainment company behind BTS, Seventeen and Enhypen, was found to have played a key role in advancing the investigation. The company set up a task force in 2023 to address the leak of its artistes' flight information. Through continuous monitoring, the team identified multiple social media accounts involved in the illegal trade of such data and submitted evidence to the police. This ultimately led to the arrest of the airline employee in February, followed by two additional suspects in March. The Korean entertainment industry has repeatedly raised concerns about the continued leaking of celebrities' flight booking details, often exploited by so-called 'sasaeng' fans, a Korean term for overzealous followers, who purchase the information to board the same flights as celebrities. Some even go as far as changing in-flight meal options or trying direct contact mid-flight. There have been extreme cases where fans cancelled their favourite stars' bookings or changed seat assignments. 'The recent case makes it clear that leaking and selling personal information is a criminal offence. We expect (the case) to serve as a strong deterrent against similar crimes in the future,' an industry insider said. Hybe stated that it will continue to cooperate fully with the ongoing investigation and upcoming legal proceedings. 'We maintain a zero-tolerance policy towards crimes that commercialise and traffic in artistes' personal information. There will be no compromise or leniency. Everyone involved will be held fully accountable,' the company said. - The Korea Herald/ANN
The Star
14 hours ago
- The Star
Jeju Air crash families denounce report blaming pilot error
Partial findings of the investigation into the Jeju Air crash claim a bird strike damaged the plane's right engine but the pilot then mistakenly shut down the left engine instead. - AFP SEOUL: The families of victims of South Korea's deadliest plane crash on home soil have denounced a government report which blamed the disaster on pilot error, a representative told AFP Tuesday (July 22). The Boeing 737-800 was flying from Thailand to South Korea's southwest on Dec 29 last year but ended up belly-landing at Muan airport and exploding in a fireball after slamming into a concrete barrier, killing 179 people. South Korea's land ministry told AFP it had planned to release the partial findings of the investigation into the crash at the weekend but called off a briefing and withheld the report after the families objected, claiming it could be misleading. The report said a bird strike damaged the plane's right engine but the pilot then mistakenly shut down the left engine instead, a representative for the families, who saw the report, told AFP. The error resulted in a total power loss and a failure of the landing gear system, they said. The pilot said: "Let's shut down engine number 2 (the right engine)," but the flight data recorder showed that actually it was the left engine that was shut down, according to the report. "No one has directly seen or heard the cockpit voice recorder or the flight data recorder," Kim Youn-mi, a representative of the victims' families, told AFP. "We weren't given any proper explanation about those things. We need to hear that to know. We have the right," she added. The Jeju Air pilots' union also criticised the report, saying it was "strongly angered" by the findings and would "firmly reject the malicious attempt to shift blame onto the pilot". The findings were part of an ongoing probe by South Korean and US investigators, who are still investigating the cause of the disaster. A bird strike -- feathers and bloodstains were found in both engines -- a faulty landing gear and the runway barrier are among the possible issues. The final report is planned to be released in June next year. - AFP
The Sun
a day ago
- The Sun
US bank employee barred from leaving China in criminal case
BEIJING: China has confirmed an exit ban on a US bank employee involved in an ongoing criminal investigation. Wells Fargo managing director Chenyue Mao, a Shanghai-born executive based in Atlanta, is restricted from leaving the country while authorities probe the case. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun stated Mao is 'involved in a criminal case currently being investigated by the Chinese authorities.' He added, 'The Chinese law enforcement agencies have imposed exit restrictions in accordance with the law.' No further details about the alleged offences were disclosed. Wells Fargo acknowledged the situation, saying it is 'closely tracking this situation and working through the appropriate channels so our employee can return to the United States as soon as possible.' Reports indicate the bank has now restricted employee travel to China following the incident. Guo emphasised that Mao 'cannot leave the country while the case is ongoing, and has an obligation to cooperate with the work of investigators.' He called it an 'individual case' and reiterated China's openness to foreign business, stating, 'No matter whether you are Chinese or not, you must follow Chinese laws while in China.' The case adds to growing concerns among multinational firms about China's business climate. Industry groups cite unclear data laws and prolonged detentions as key challenges. Tensions between Beijing and Western nations, particularly the US, have intensified in recent years. Separately, The Washington Post reported a US Commerce Department employee was also barred from leaving China after failing to disclose his government role on a visa application. The Chinese American man, from the Patent and Trademark Office, had visited family months earlier. Guo said he was unaware of the case. Recent incidents include a Japanese Astellas Pharma executive sentenced for espionage and AstraZeneca's China head detained over alleged illegal data practices. In 2023, a Kroll executive faced similar travel restrictions, highlighting risks for foreign professionals in China. - AFP
