Culture ministry to audit ex-museum chief over misattributed calligraphy

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SEOUL, Oct. 23 (Yonhap) -- The culture minister said Friday his ministry will conduct a thorough audit of the former National Museum of Korea chief who resigned over the museum's controversial display of a misattributed calligraphic work from his private collection.

You Hong-june stepped down earlier this week after the museum wrongly displayed the calligraphy in an exhibition as the work of a Korean independence activist. The piece was later identified as the work of a prominent pro-Japanese collaborator during Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule of Korea and turned out to be from You's own private collection.

Culture Minister Chae Hwi-young answers a question from a lawmaker during a parliamentary audit of the ministry at the National Assembly in Seoul on Oct. 23, 2026. (Yonhap)

"I think the incident has damaged the reputation and public trust the museum has built over the years," Culture Minister Chae Hwi-young told a lawmaker during a parliamentary audit of the ministry. "The ministry will seek to restore public confidence through a rigorous investigation."

The audit will not be limited to the alleged abuse of authority by the former director but will also look into "every procedure involved in the management and authentication of the exhibit at issue," Chae added.

You Hong-june, former director of the National Museum of Korea (Yonhap)

sshim@yna.co.kr (END)

(3rd LD) National museum chief resigns over misattributed work from private collection

(LEAD) Chief of national museum apologizes over wrongful attribution of item on display

Culture ministry to audit ex-museum chief over misattributed calligraphy

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首尔，10月23日（韩联社）——文化部长官周五表示，文化部将对因韩国国立中央博物馆展出其私人收藏的一幅被错误归于其名下的书法作品而辞职的前馆长进行彻底审计。

本周早些时候，柳洪俊因博物馆错误地将一幅书法作品在展览中展示为韩国独立运动人士的作品而辞职。该作品后来被确认为日本在1910年至1945年殖民统治朝鲜时期一位著名亲日合作者的作品，并且来自柳洪俊的私人收藏。

2026年10月23日，文化部长官蔡辉映在首尔国会出席文化部审计听证会，并回答议员提问。（韩联社）

文化部长官蔡辉映在国会就文化部进行审计时对议员表示：“我认为这起事件损害了博物馆多年来建立的声誉和公众信任。文化部将通过严谨的调查来恢复公众的信任。”

Chae补充说，审计不仅限于前任主任涉嫌滥用职权的行为，还将调查“与涉案展品的管理和鉴定相关的每一个程序”。

韩国国立中央博物馆前馆长柳洪俊（韩联社）

sshim@yna.co.kr（完）

（第三条）国家博物馆馆长因私人收藏作品归属错误而辞职

（导语）国家博物馆馆长就展品归属错误致歉

文化部将对前博物馆馆长进行审计，调查其书法作品归属错误一事。