President Yoon Suk Yeol and first lady Kim Keon Hee celebrated the return of 14th-century Buddhist relics on Sunday, believed to have been illegally removed during the Japanese colonial era. President Yoon commended the relics as a "precious national heritage" reflecting the authenticity and spiritual lineage of Korean Buddhism, attributing their return to the improved relations between South Korea and the United States. He emphasized the persistence and efforts of the South Korean people and government in resolving the long-standing issue, finally fulfilling the desires of the people under Buddha's blessing. The returned relics, including sariras of two 14th-century monks and fragments related to the Buddha, were housed in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Massachusetts since 1939. The relics were suspected to have been illicitly transferred from Korea to the United States during the Japanese colonization of the Korean Peninsula. After an extended negotiation, an agreement was reached in February this year to transfer the sarira permanently to South Korea and to rent the containers for an undisclosed period of time. The first lady, Kim Keon Hee, played a crucial role in the negotiation with MFA Boston, prompting the resumption of talks and leading to the successful return of the relics. Kim Keon Hee, after a prolonged absence, resumed her official duties on Thursday, meeting with her Cambodian counterpart, Pich Chanmony. This marks her first public appearance in 169 days, amidst an ongoing investigation into allegations of violating anti-graft laws.