ROK Re-elected to UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Committee for Promoting the Return of Cultural Property to its Countries of Origin or its Restitution in Case of Illicit Appropriation 1. The Republic of Korea was re-elected as a member of the “Intergovernmental Committee for Promoting the Return of Cultural Property to its Countries of Origin or its Restitution in Case of Illicit Appropriation (ICPRCP)” for the 2013-2017 term at the 37th session of the UNESCO General Conference, held at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France on November 14. o The ROK has served as a member of the Committee for 24 years since 1989. In June, 2012 in particular, the ROK was elected as Chair of the Committee (Chairperson: Professor Lee Keun-gwan at Seoul National University) for a two-year term. 2. The ICPRCP is an intergovernmental body established in 1978 under a resolution adopted at the 20th session of the UNESCO General Conference in order to provide a framework for discussion and negotiation on the return of cultural property to its countries of origin or its restitution in case of illicit appropriation. The work of the Committee includes facilitating bilateral negotiations and multilateral cooperation for the return of cultural property, encouraging related research, and conducting promotional activities to enhance public awareness. 3. The ROK’s re-election as a member of the Committee is seen to have further enhanced the ROK’s status in the area of the return of cultural property. It also helped the ROK firmly establish itself as a leading country in the issue of the return of cultural property. o The Foreign Ministry and the Cultural Heritage Administration have worked together for the ROK’s re-election to the Committee, after making it one of their policy tasks. The two agencies achieved this result through close cooperation. 4. Following the ROK’s election to the ICPRCP, the ROK will continue to take the lead in international discussions on the return of cultural property and make further efforts to create favorable conditions and climate in the international community for the retrieval of the ROK’s cultural property. Ministry of Foreign Affairs Cultural Heritage Administration