Government data showed that more than 250-thousand items of Korean cultural artifacts are currently scattered overseas for reasons including theft, looting, gifts and purchases.

The Korea Heritage Service and the Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation said Wednesday that  256-thousand-190 Korean cultural relics were abroad as of January 1. 

The figures are based on a survey of 801 museums and galleries across 29 countries, including Japan, the United States and Germany. 

The total represents an increase of eight-thousand-472 items from the previous year.

Japan contains the largest number of Korean cultural artifacts, according to the announcement.
 
Confirmed holdings in Japan totaled 110-thousand-611 items, accounting for 43-point-two percent of all overseas relics.

The United States followed with more than 68-thousand items, Germany with more than 16-thousand and Britain with more than 15-thousand.

The Korea Heritage Service and the Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation have been working to repatriate cultural properties believed to have been taken overseas through illegal or improper means.