A French administrative court will hold a trial on Saturday over a suit filed by a South Korean civic group against the French government over ancient Korean books the French army confiscated in 1886.

The first trial comes after the civic group “Cultural Action” filed the suit in February 2007. The group had collected some 340 million won in public donations in order to file the claim.

The French government has refused to return the “Oegyujanggak” books preserved at the French National Library, saying in a letter to Seoul that the books are now part of France’s national assets. Meanwhile, experts in Korea have actively promoted during UNESCO meetings South Korea’s right to possess the books.

Oegyujanggak, or “Outer Gyujanggak,” was an auxiliary facility of the royal library “Gyujanggak” during the Joseon Dynasty period. The books were taken from the facility by the French during the “Byeongin Yangyo” invasion of Ganghwa Island by a French naval fleet in 1866.