The Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation in Berlin has formally repatriated a rare set of 14th-century woodblocks used for the printing of the Diamond Sutra during the Goryeo Dynasty. These artifacts, which have been part of the German national collection for over a century, were returned following a comprehensive provenance review that confirmed their origin from a temple in North Gyeongsang Province.
The return marks a significant moment in the growing cultural diplomacy between Germany and South Korea. At the ceremony in Seoul, officials emphasized the importance of returning sacred liturgical objects to their original cultural context. The woodblocks are praised for their exceptional craftsmanship and provide critical insights into the early history of movable type and woodblock printing in East Asia.