China has issued an official request that South Korea return a mural stolen from a tomb that belonged to Korea’s ancient Goguryeo Kingdom. The tomb is located in China's northeastern Jirin Province.

China’s State Administration of Cultural Heritage made the request in a letter sent to the head of South Korea’s Cultural Heritage Administration on December ninth.

The Chinese cultural administration claimed in the letter that an investigation has found that the stolen mural was brought into South Korea.

China said that three people were arrested and charged with having stolen murals from the tomb in the late 1990s. According to China, a senior official at the Korean Antiques Association was involved in the theft and the three people charged said that the mural was sent to South Korea.

Beijing asked the South Korean government to facilitate the return of the ancient relic.