A long-lost calligraphic work written by Korean independence activist Ahn Jung-geun shortly before his execution in 1910 will go on public display in Seoul after returning to the country for the first time in 116 years. The National Palace Museum of Korea said Monday it will host a special exhibition titled “A Solitary Encounter: Eight Characters Left by Ahn Jung-geun” at its gallery in central Seoul. Opening Tuesday and running through Dec. 27, the showcase marks the 117th anniversary of Ahn’s historic assassination of Hirobumi Ito, Japan’s first prime minister and resident-general during its 1910-45 colonial rule of Korea. The highlighted artifact features eight Chinese characters penned by Ahn in March 1910 while imprisoned in Lushun, China. The calligraphy reads, “International law falls short of cannon fire,” reflecting Ahn’s criticism of how international treaties failed to safeguard the sovereignty of weaker nations against foreign aggression during the era of imperial expansion. The scroll was repatriated in November 2025 through an overseas recovery process conduc