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일본의 절에서 보관중이다가 도난당한 후 한국에서 보관중인 고려시대 불상을 놓고 양국 사이의 갈등이 심화될 징조를 보이고 있다.
교도통신이 12일 보도한 바에 따르면 나가사키 현 쓰시마 시의 타카라베 야스나리 시장은 이르면 내달 한국 문화재청을 방문해 쓰시마섬의 절 간논지에서 도난당한 ‘관세음보살좌상’의 반환을 요청할 예정이다. 타카라베 시장은 이 때 불상의 반환을 촉구하는 주민 1만6천800명의 서명 역시 전달할 계획이다.
문화재청 측에서는 이번 계획에 대해 공식적으로 확정하지 않은 상태이다.
관세음보살좌상의 복장기(불상 안에 든 기록)에 따르면 불상은 고려 시대인 1330년에 서산 부석사에 봉안할 목적으로 만들어졌지만 기록에 남아있지 않은 이유로 인해 쓰시마 섬으로 넘어가게 되었다.
서산 부석사 측에서는 이 불상이 고려 말기에 왜구에 의해 약탈당했다고 주장하는 반면, 쓰시마 섬 측에서는 한국에서 14 세기 이후에 퍼진 불교 배척 운동의 여파로 인해 일본으로 불상이 넘어간 것이라고 주장하고 있다.
부석사는 이 불상에 대해 일본 이전금지 가처분신청을 냈고, 대전법원이 이를 받아들였다.
관세음보살좌상은 지난해 10월초 간논지 본당에서 쓰시마섬 가이진(海神) 신사에서 보관하던 다른 불상 1점과 함께 도난당했다. 대전지방경찰청과 문화재청은 이 불상들을 국내에 반입한 후 팔려던 일당을 붙잡았으며, 이 불상들은 현재 국내에서 보관 중이다.
한편 서산시의 이완섭 시장과 타카라베 쓰시마 시장은 서로 불상을 가져가겠다는 강한 의지를 보였는데, 이 시장은 "금동관음보살상이 부석사에 봉안됐던 확실한 근거가 복장기록에 남아 있다"며 반드시 제자리인 부석사로 환수돼야 한다"고 강조했다.
타카라베 시장은 반면 “불상은 수백년동안 도민들이 지켜왔다”면서 “도민의 마음을 전하는 것이 나의 사명”이라고 밝히면서 불상 환수의 의지를 밝혔다. (코리아헤럴드)
<관련 영문 기사>
Korea, Japan at loggerheads over stolen Buddhist statue
By Yoon Min-sik
A Japanese mayor is set to visit South Korea next month to urge the return of an ancient Korean Buddhist statue amid concerns that such a move could deepen friction between the two countries over the ownership of the artifact.
According to Kyodo News Agency, Tsushima Mayor Takarabe Yasunari plans to visit Korea’s Cultural Heritage Administration in Daejeon to request that Korea return the Geumdong Gwaneum Bosal statue stolen from Kannonji Temple in Tsushima, Nagasaki prefecture, last October.
The 14th century Bodhisattva, originally from Buseoksa Temple in Seosan, South Chungcheong Province, is believed to have been moved to Japan during the Goryeo Dynasty (918–1392).
An official from the CHA would not confirm the report, saying the state agency could not discuss the matter until the Korean courts made an official decision on the issue.
Korean authorities seized the statue in January when they arrested thieves who stole it from the Japanese temple. The Korean government decided against the immediate return of the artifacts on the grounds that Geumdong Gwaneum Bosal statue may have been stolen by Japanese pirates around 1370.
Korea’s Buseoksa Temple filed a temporary injunction on the transfer of the statue, which was granted by Daejeon District Court in February. The court said the statue should not be returned to Japan until it is proven that its acquisition by Kannonji Temple was lawful.
Japanese officials pointed out the possibility that the artifact was not stolen but merely moved to Japan when an anti-Buddhism movement kicked off in the late Goryeo period.
Both the Seosan and Tsushima mayors expressed their intention to claim the statue. Seosan Mayor Lee Wan-seob said the records clearly showed the Bodhisattva statue was from Buseoksa Temple, while Japan’s Yasunari said his duty was to deliver the Japanese people’s wish that the statue be returned to his city.
(minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)
Korea, Japan at loggerheads over stolen Buddhist statue
By Yoon Min-sik
A Japanese mayor is set to visit South Korea next month to urge the return of an ancient Korean Buddhist statue amid concerns that such a move could deepen friction between the two countries over the ownership of the artifact.
According to Kyodo News Agency, Tsushima Mayor Takarabe Yasunari plans to visit Korea’s Cultural Heritage Administration in Daejeon to request that Korea return the Geumdong Gwaneum Bosal statue stolen from Kannonji Temple in Tsushima, Nagasaki prefecture, last October.
The 14th century Bodhisattva, originally from Buseoksa Temple in Seosan, South Chungcheong Province, is believed to have been moved to Japan during the Goryeo Dynasty (918–1392).
An official from the CHA would not confirm the report, saying the state agency could not discuss the matter until the Korean courts made an official decision on the issue.
Korean authorities seized the statue in January when they arrested thieves who stole it from the Japanese temple. The Korean government decided against the immediate return of the artifacts on the grounds that Geumdong Gwaneum Bosal statue may have been stolen by Japanese pirates around 1370.
Korea’s Buseoksa Temple filed a temporary injunction on the transfer of the statue, which was granted by Daejeon District Court in February. The court said the statue should not be returned to Japan until it is proven that its acquisition by Kannonji Temple was lawful.
Japanese officials pointed out the possibility that the artifact was not stolen but merely moved to Japan when an anti-Buddhism movement kicked off in the late Goryeo period.
Both the Seosan and Tsushima mayors expressed their intention to claim the statue. Seosan Mayor Lee Wan-seob said the records clearly showed the Bodhisattva statue was from Buseoksa Temple, while Japan’s Yasunari said his duty was to deliver the Japanese people’s wish that the statue be returned to his city.
(minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)
