Ancient Korean books that were looted by French soldiers in the mid-19th century will be returned to South Korea by the end of May.

South Korean Ambassador to France Park Heung-shin and Paul Jean-Ortiz, the director of the French Foreign Ministry's bureau for Asian and Oceanian affairs, signed an accord on Monday on the return of the books.

Under the accord, all 297 “Oegyujanggak” books will be returned in four deliveries between the end of March and May.

The books will be housed at the National Museum of Korea. The return will be in the form of a permanent lease that will be renewed every five years.

South Korea and France also agreed to display some of the books in France in 2015 when the two countries mark a year of cultural exchanges.

Oegyujanggak," or “Outer Gyujanggak,” was an auxiliary facility of the “Gyujanggak,” which was the royal library during the Joseon Dynasty. The books were taken from a facility on Ganghwa Island during the French invasion of the island in 1866.