Even though more than 60 years have passed since South Korea’s independence from Japan, many of Korea’s cultural properties that were pillaged by Japan have not been returned.

There are around 150-thousand pieces of Korean cultural assets overseas, with more than half of them in Japan.

However, South Korea has no right to ask for the return of its cultural assets as stipulated by an agreement reached between the two governments 65 years ago.

Although South Korean civic groups continue to hold rallies for the return of the assets, Japan is not responding.

As calls are becoming fierce for the return of three Buddhist temple bells, which were created in Korea during the Shilla Dynasty but were later designated as Japan’s national treasures, Japan banned people from viewing the cultural assets.

South Korean historical groups argue that the nation should establish a national organization to be in charge of retrieving the displaced cultural assets. They added that such an establishment can conduct thorough and fundamental studies on the cultural treasures overseas and come up with realistic measures for their return.