France to return all Korean royal court books by May

France has agreed to transfer on a permanent lease to Korea by May the royal Korean books "Oegyujanggak" after bilateral talks underwent a flurry of bumps and twists.

The historic books from Korea`s Joseon Dynasty are set to be returned to their homeland for the first time in 145 years.

Korean Ambassador to France Park Heung-shin and Paul Jean-Ortiz, director for Asia-Pacific affairs at the French Foreign Ministry, signed an inter-governmental agreement at the ministry in Paris Monday on the transfer of the 297 Oegyujanggak books being kept at the French National Library, or BNF.

As a result, 296 royal books excluding "Hwigyeongwon Wonso Dogam," which was returned to Seoul when then French President François Mitterrand visited Seoul in 1993, will be transferred to the National Museum of Korea in phases from late March to May 31.

Oegyujanggak books were looted by French naval forces when they invaded Korea`s Ganghwa Island in 1866. The books began drawing attention in 1975, when Dr. Park Byung-seon discovered that they were being kept at the French library.

The "lease through five-year renewals" is an alternative because French law bans the permanent lease of cultural properties. Since the lease can be renewed constantly unless cause for denial arises, the measure effectively constitutes a permanent lease of the books.

Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman Kim Young-sun told a regular briefing in Seoul Monday, "The signing of the final agreement is a follow-up measure to the agreement President Lee Myung-bak and French President Nicolas Sarkozy reached on the sidelines of the G-20 Seoul summit last November."

After the conclusion of the agreement on the virtual permanent lease of the books, a signature collection campaign was staged in the French culture community to protest the move.

The French Foreign Ministry, after concluding working-level talks on the return, made it clear that the lease will be a unique and exceptional case and will not set a precedent for lease and repatriation of other cultural properties, causing voices of opposition to subside.

taylor55@donga.com