▲ This photo shows Hwang Hee Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York on the 20th. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

SEOUL, Sep. 23 (Yonhap) -- The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) in New York, one of the world’s 4 museums, will expand the size of its Korean hall.

Hwang Hee, South Korea’s Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism who visited New York during the United Nations (UN) General Assembly, reported South Korean first lady Kim Jung-sook’s visit to the Met, on a correspondent meeting on the 22nd.

The Met has suggested the Korean Government a larger space than the current gallery for the Korean hall, according to the minister.

The Korean hall was opened in 1988 with the construction expense paid by Korea Foundation and with the operation fund provided by Samsung Foundation of Culture.

Although Korean cultural assets such as the statues of the Buddha and potteries are on display in 165㎡-size gallery, the space is regarded too small compared to that of China or Japan.

The Chinese exhibition hall is the biggest of the Asian halls and the Japanese hall built with the contribution of Japanese government and firm in 1987 takes up far larger space than that of the Korean hall.

The minister explained that even if the Korean hall gets expanded through additional discussion, it will be supported in a form of long-term renting the Korean relics rather than the government directly investing budgets.

The minister added that they are seeking for exhibition exchange with the Met based on the Leeum Museum’s collection and Late Saumsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee’s art collection.

The Met is known to be interested in the Korean ancient relics.

The Met, opened in 1870, possess over 2 million pieces of relics from all over the world. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, 7 million viewers visited the museum every year.


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