Overview
- You Hong-june bowed and apologized to lawmakers on Monday for recommending a calligraphic scroll from his private collection that was shown as someone else’s work.
- The museum removed the scroll in August after a tip and a seven-expert review completed on Sept. 7 found the piece was by pro-Japanese collaborator Park Jung-yang, not independence activist Park Won-geun.
- You told auditors he did not seek professional authentication because he trusted his expertise, and he said he initially withheld ownership because he feared appearing boastful.
- Reporting shows other personal items, including a piece he owned and a stone tiger donated by his wife, were also displayed without clear disclosure and critics say the displays could have raised questions about inflating private value.
- You offered to resign on Wednesday as the controversy drew broad cultural-sector criticism, complaints from lawmakers, and the likelihood of formal probes into the museum’s verification and disclosure practices.