‘Borok’ of Joseon Dynasty Returns to Korea from the U.K.

The Cultural Heritage Administration and Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation announced that with the support of Riot Games, they purchased the ‘Borok’ of the Joseon Dynasty from a British company and brought it into Korea.

While the National Seal was mainly used for official documents as a practical seal representing national sovereignty, Great Seal (Eobo) was used as a ceremonial seal that symbolizes the authority of the royal family.

Great Seal (Eobo) is stored in a double container, usually in the inner and outer box, ‘Borok’.

The Borok returned this time is a box of 23cm (width), 23cm (length), and 27.5cm (height).

Made of wood, leather, and silk, this Borok has a turtle-shaped upper handle. It is estimated that it was made in the 19th century.

An official from the foundation said, “Borok symbolizes the legitimacy and historicity of the Joseon Dynasty, because it was specifically made for the king and queen, not for the purpose of mass productions and universal use.”

Borok will be managed by the National Palace Museum in the future.

It is worth noting that it is the 6th overseas cultural property that the global game developer Riot Games supported to recover. Riot Games, well known for publishing the League of Legends, has donated more than KRW 500 million annually to recover cultural assets from overseas, which makes an accumulated donation of KRW 6.87 billion.