South Korean court says stolen statue must return to Japan

By KIM TONG-HYUNG
Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A South Korean court has ruled that a 14th century Korean Buddhist statue should be sent back to a Japanese temple from where it was stolen in 2012.  The statue’s return has been put on hold for years after a South Korean temple claimed ownership of it, insisting that it was likely looted by medieval Japanese pirates before it ended up at the temple on Tsushima island, presumably in 1527. It and another statue were then stolen from that temple by thieves who attempted to sell them in South Korea. Officials at the South Korean temple say they will likely appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court.