Royal Seal of Last Joseon Emperor Found

The royal seal of Emperor Gojong, the last ruler of the Joseon Dynasty, has been discovered after 100 years, the Cultural Heritage Administration said yesterday.

“As part of efforts to recover Korea’s cultural relics, we purchased a seal 4.8 centimeters high and weighing 794 grams from a Korean American late last year. We found that it was the royal seal Emperor Gojong used from 1903 to 1905 for his autographed letters sent abroad,” an official said.

This is the first royal seal used for diplomatic letters to be found. The National Institute of Korean History has confirmed the seal`s authenticity by analyzing historical documents stored in glass film.

The seal has a turtle-shaped handle and red tassels and the inscription “emperor’s seal” in Chinese characters.

zeitung@donga.com