Help us bring the seals home
Korea Cultural Heritage Administration
A total of 73 guksae and eobo were lost during wartime. Help us bring the lost seals homes.
On August 15, 1946, the 1st anniversary of Korea’s liberation from Japanese colonial rule, a very special gift was presented at this celebration. The US handed over eight seals that had been taken to Japan in 1911.
And 70 years later, during the Korea-US Summit in June 2017, precious items lost were back in Korean hands. Guksae was used by the king for administrative purposes and they traditionally symbolized the highest authority of the state. Eobo is a ceremonial stamp representing royal family’s authority. It is kept at Jongmyo (royal Ancestral Shrine), a sacred space symbolizing the history of Korea.
A total of 37 guksae and 375 eobo were crafted in traditional times. The Republic of Korea now holds only 9 guksae and 330 eobo. Where have the other 28 guksae and 45 eobo gone?
Help us bring the lost seals home.
