This photo taken on July 23, 2026 shows a pair of Qing Dynasty stone lion sculptures returned by South Korea to China at the Kansong Art Museum in Seoul, South Korea. Photo: Xinhua

　　Proactive joint efforts by both China and South Korea have facilitated the return of a pair of Qing Dynasty stone lion sculptures to China this year, a curator at the National Museum of Korea told the Global Times, noting that despite broader challenges in securing the return of cultural artifacts held overseas, the case demonstrates what bilateral cooperation can achieve.

　　A handover ceremony for a pair of Qing Dynasty stone lion sculptures returned by South Korea to China was held in July at the Kansong Art Museum, according to the Xinhua News Agency. At the ceremony, China"s National Cultural Heritage Administration (NCHA) formally received the stone lions from the National Museum of Korea.

　　The stone lions were purchased in 1933 by Jeon Hyeong-pil, founder of the Kansong Art Museum, at an auction held in Osaka, Japan, by the Yamanaka & Co. art dealership. From the museum"s opening in 1938 until their return, the sculptures were displayed at the entrance to Bohwagak, the original name of the Kansong Art Museum.

　　Jeon always regarded the stone lions as Chinese cultural relics and expressed his wish that they should one day be returned to China. In December 2025, the National Museum of Korea, acting on behalf of the Kansong Art Museum, began consultations with the NCHA on their return, eventually reaching an agreement.

　　Discussing the process with the Global Times, Eom Chaehyeon, associate curator of the Cultural Relations and Publicity Division of the National Museum of Korea, said that the large number of cultural artifacts taken overseas from China and Korea made their return on a comprehensive scale difficult.