An Jung-geun's Calligraphy Lamenting Reality of International Law Returns Home 116 Years After Martyrdom

[Film Harbin: "Under international law, prisoners of war captured cannot be executed at will." (Gunshots) Lee Chang-seop: "It's barbarism. A thousand words of international law lose to a single cannonball."]

General An Jung-geun developed this belief in international law into his "Theory of Oriental Peace," and left it in writing once more right before his martyrdom.

"International law is not as good as a cannon" laments the reality that international law falls short before artillery.

[Heo Min, Administrator of the Korea Heritage Service: "As you know, after shooting Ito Hirobumi in Harbin, China, on October 26, 1909, our General An Jung-geun demanded a trial based on international law in his capacity as the chief of staff of the Korean Righteous Army, didn't he? That requested trial was sentenced to death on simple murder charges."]

The calligraphy bearing An's realistic perception has returned to his homeland and been unveiled 116 years after his martyrdom.

On the lower left of the calligraphy, a handprint made by pressing a palm covered in ink is clearly visible, and it is inscribed that it was written by "Korean" An Jung-geun in Gyeongsul-nyeon, meaning March 1910.

[Chang Ji-hoon, Professor at Kyonggi University (Calligraphy Major): "The writing is very stable and comfortable, and while it has straight elements, it also contains many circular, curved elements, so it is considered a work of extremely high completion."]

It is characterized by ink inscriptions remaining on the back, and Kurihara Sadakichi, who was the prison warden of Lushun Prison, appears to have been the first owner.

The immediate past owner is known to have purchased this calligraphy at an auction, and after confirming the existence of the calligraphy in May of last year, the Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation and the Korea Heritage Service successfully repatriated it in November.

After the Harbin righteous-assassination, General An stood trial at a Japanese court in Lushun and left various writings until his execution was carried out.

Among these, as many as 31 pieces have been designated as treasures.

(Reported by Lee Ju-sang | Video by Park Na-young | VJ: Oh Se-gwan | Video courtesy of CJ ENM | Produced by SBS Digital News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.