Overview
- The bronze statue was unveiled on December 25 at Ayodhya’s memorial site honoring the legend of Princess Suriratna, who is said to have married King Kim Suro around 48 AD.
- Samguk Yusa, a 13th-century Korean compilation, names the princess’s homeland as “Ayuta,” a place many interpret as Ayodhya.
- The Embassy of India in Seoul cites roughly seven million Koreans who trace lineage to the royal union associated with Queen Heo Hwang-ok.
- Ayodhya’s memorial to the queen was established in 2001 through a Uttar Pradesh–Gimhae partnership and was redeveloped in 2015, with the new statue adding a fresh focal point.
- Historians continue to question the historicity of the princess and the identification of “Ayuta,” noting a lack of definitive archaeological or contemporaneous proof despite supportive views from some scholars.