[2020 National Audit] "Ito Hirobumi's Handwriting on the Cornerstone of the Currency Museum..."

"Bank of Korea and Cultural Heritage Administration Shift Responsibility... Demolition and Other Measures Must Be Taken"

Economic Outlines of Chosen and Manchuria

The Bank of Korea Currency Museum (formerly the Bank of Joseon headquarters) has uncovered evidence proving that the cornerstone is the autograph of It? Hirobumi. A cornerstone is a stone inscribed with the date of the groundbreaking ceremony, typically placed at the foundation (usually at a corner) after the completion of foundational construction work.

Jeon Yong-gi, a member of the National Assembly’s Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee from the Democratic Party of Korea, revealed on the 12th during the Cultural Heritage Administration’s audit that the University of California, Berkeley Library holds a document titled "Economic Outlines of Chosen and Manchuria." This material, published by the Bank of Joseon in 1918, contains information confirming that the Bank of Joseon cornerstone was made with the autograph of It? Hirobumi.

Although the Bank of Korea and the Cultural Heritage Administration were aware of this fact, they had been shifting responsibility for verification and action regarding the cornerstone between each other. In response to Representative Jeon’s inquiry, the Bank of Korea stated, “We consulted with the Cultural Heritage Administration, but there was no appropriate method for verification.” The Cultural Heritage Administration also replied, “We had no consultations with the Bank of Korea regarding verification.”

Photo of the Joseon Bank lobby

Representative Jeon said, “While the two institutions were passing the buck, the public’s right to know about this painful history was violated,” and added, “Since the former Bank of Joseon building is a nationally designated cultural property, the Cultural Heritage Administration should take the initiative.” He insisted, “The autograph verification should be completed as soon as possible, and measures such as demolition should be taken.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.