Gyeongju civic group submits petition for return of ' Cheong Wa Dae Buddha'

▲ This photo, shows the Gyeongju civic group asking for "The Stone Buddha Seated on a Square Pedestal in Gyeongju" to be returned back to its hometown, Gyeongju. (Yonhap)

▲ This photo, shows "The Stone Buddha Seated on a Square Pedestal in Gyeongju" located in Cheong Wa Dae. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

SEOUL, May 25 (Yonhap) --The Gyeongju Cultural Heritage Restoration Movement Headquarters held a press conference in front of the presidential office in Yongsan-gu, Seoul on the 25th and urged, "Please return the Minambul Statue located in Cheong Wa Dae back to Gyeongju."

"The Stone Buddha Seated on a Square Pedestal in Gyeongju," which is also called Minambul is currently located behind the official residence in Cheong Wa Dae and was designated as a treasure in 2018.

"It was illegally brought from Gyeongju to Seoul during the Japanese colonial period, and there is no reason for the Buddhist Statue to be located in Cheong Wa Dae when it has been opened to the public," the group said. "Please return the Buddhist statue that was moved without permission back to its hometown."

They have also applied the petition for the presidential office requesting the return of the Buddha Statue back to Gyeongju.

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