Mina Rhyu

The Limitation of the Korea-Japan Normalization Talks on the Issue of Returning Cultural Assets― Focusing on Japan’s Returning Process of the Korean Cultural Assets
Rhyu, Mina
This study investigates how Japan nationalized the cultural assets from the colony and foreign countries when the “Cultural Assets Protection Law” was legislated in 1950. It also analyzes how Japan enforced the nationalizing and returning of the cultural assets to Korea during the Korea-Japan talks in the 1950s
and the 1960s. During the 14 years of Korea-Japan talks, the cultural assets which was excavated out of the Korean peninsula and defined as the Japanese assets were partly turned to Korea. It was proceeded, however, in secret by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan. After returning of assets, the ministry reported to the Diet and Japanese society learned the event from Korean or Japanese newspapers.
Although the return of cultural assets was made from Japan to Korea, it was done only in the frame of “National Assets” of Japan. It showed the limited undertaking in the legacy of the Japanese colonial rule, resulting in the Korea-Japan agreement for the Korean cultural assets as “the private assets of the Japanese people” and “the belongings of the Japanese people.”

Evaluation and Perception of the Historical Spot Investigations by the Japanese Government General of Korea－Focusing on the trends of Japanese studies of Japan after Defeat in the War－
Rhyu Mina
There has been little study on the activities and organizations in which Japanese scholars active in colonial Chosŏn participated after returning to Japan. This is because the scholars do not directly mention the events that occurred in colonial Chosŏn and also because Japanese academia does
not thoroughly investigate this topic. However, this issue will not only help us to understand the historical view of colonial Chosŏn but also provide a clue to reestablishing the foundation of current scholarship in Japan.
In light of this issue, this study first introduces the perspective of Japanese scholars who investigated Asian regions such as Chosŏn and China. Then it also aims to considered the activities and perception of Japanese scholars who participated in historical spot investigations in colonial Chosŏn, after defeat in the war.
The author had already investigated research by some Japanese scholars who cooperated with the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs during the Korea–Japan Conference. Adding to the prior research, this study considered not only the relationship with the Korea–Japan Conference but also conduct an evaluation of the academic activities, not only in Chosŏn but also other parts of the world, by Japanese researchers who returned to Japan after defeat in the war.
After defeat in the war, researchers who returned to Japan continually argued that the policies of the Japanese Government General of Korea, criticized as “puppets of militarism,” were not related to their research activities. These people were summoned when the Japanese government conducted investigations on Japanese people who were active overseas, as part of an effort to dilute demands for war reparations led by the United States. Researchers who were active in colonial Chosŏn aided in spreading the Japanese “colony benefit theory.”
The author also aims to pay more attention in the future to the varied academic activities that occurred in Chosŏn during the colonial period. I will investigate in more detail what impact “preservation of Chosŏn culture” or academic activities that “shed a light on Chosŏn history” had
on colonial Chosŏn.
【Key words】
Colonialism, Historic Site Preservation Society, Cultural Properties Return, Chosen gakkai, Kyoto Imperial University

The Possibility of “Reconciliation” between South Korea and Japan as Seen Through the Issue of Returning Cultural Assets－Reconsideration of the Process of Normalization of Relations between South Korea and Japan－
Rhyu, Mi-Na
This paper seeks to reconsider the process of normalization of diplomatic relations between South Korea and Japan, thereby examining the current twisted situation in the bilateral relations and exploring the possibility of a “reconciliation,” which the two countries should actively pursue. This study has reconsidered the process of transition of these two countries from their past relationship, as a colonial suzerain and a dominion, to an “equal” relationship at the time of the South Korea-Japan
summit by looking at their responses to the issue of returning cultural assets that surfaced around the time of the summit.
The summit as well as negotiations on the return of cultural assets were subjects of major interest in South Korean and Japanese academia. Thus, this study has also examined how academia on both sides understood and accommodated the awareness of the normalization of relations. By examining how well the two countries understood each other in the process of accommodation, this study has reflected on the origins of the current South Korea-Japan relations. Through such a reflection, the
author along with the readers hopes to consider whether there is a possibility of overcoming the current crisis in bilateral relations, seen as the “worst South Korea-Japan relations” since the normalization.
【Key words】
Negotiations on the return of cultural assets, South Korea-Japan summit, colonialism, reconciliation, Japanese archeology

A Study on the People in the Negotiation of Cultural Properties
Returns in the Korea-Japan Normalization Talks
Rhyu, Mina(Kookmin University)
Studies about negotiations on the restitution of cultural property in the Korean-Japanese Conference have thus far mostly focused on tracing and determining the current state of negotiations.
Based on previous studies, this study will analyze the researchers of Joseonhak (Joseon studies) in Japan who provided advice behind the scenes to Japanese negotiators that participated in the Conference or conducted various surveys upon the request of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. These researchers were specialized in history and archaeology, and most of them had background in excavating and studying cultural property in the colony Joseon. This study will examine the opinions they presented in the Korean-Japanese Conference and how these opinions changed the contents of the Conference, and review the reasons why they were against returning cultural property.
At the point of the Korean-Japanese Conference, those who were against returning cultural property stated that Japanese scholars that participated in the Historical Remains Survey of the Japanese Government General of Korea conducted their research activities according to an ‘academic’ purpose, thereby they were irrelevant to colonial rule policies.
Furthermore, they took pride in excavating historical remains in Joseon, considering it as an activity ‘for Joseon people’ to ‘protect cultural property.’
With a critical view of this evaluation, this study will examine how the Japanese authorities and academia perceived the negotiations on the restitution of cultural property at the point of the Korean-Japanese Conference. Moreover, it will reconsider the differences in the perception of both countries, Korea and Japan, regarding the issues over the restitution of cultural property today.
Key word: Korea-Japan talks and Japanese academia, Restitution of cultural property, Colonialism, Cultural imperialism, Protection of cultural heritage