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Academic Conference ‘Study on the History of Goguryeo in the Jolbon(卒本) Period’ (2008.12.22.)

Two academic conferences, and one of the doctor who majored in Goguryeo which had few in Korea

In July 2003, a Korean media reported that the Research Center for Chinese Borderland History and Geography and the Northeast China have been conducting the Northeast Project since 2002. The contents of the article were 'The core of the project is the history of Goguryeo, and their basic argument is that Goguryeo was an ancient Chinese local regime'. Korean academics, governments and the public were very angry about this. The media condemned China's maneuvering to take away the history of Goguryeo. In the meantime, the media reported on the current status of research on Goguryeo, which belonged to the alienated studies. I knew from the newspaper that there were 14 people studying Goguryeo in Korea until then. However, in fact, there were fewer doctors majoring in Goguryeo.

On December 9, 2003, the Society for Korean Ancient History hosted the 'Academic Presentation on Countermeasures against Distortion of Goguryeo History in China'. The conference refuted the contents of the Chinese academic world's claim that the history of Goguryeo is the history of China. I was in charge of the presentation because I had studied one of the topics, Goguryeo people. Prior to this, the first Goguryeo International Cultural Conference was held in Ji'an City, Jilin Province, China in August 1993. Ji'an City was just open, and the horse or bicycle-drawn means of transportation was the official taxi. It was the second capital of Goguryeo, and across the Yalu River was Manpo City in North Korea. I could see the North Koreans commuting to and from work. An international conference was held there, with scholars from South Korea and North Korea, ethnic Korean scholars from Yanbian University, Chinese scholars from nearby areas, and Japanese and Taiwanese scholars. At that time, Geng Tiehua and Sun Jinji made a presentation that Goguryeo was a local regime in China and that culture was also influenced by China. So, the North and South Korean scholars protested greatly. That was one of the events that affected the start of the Northeast Project. These two conferences have completely changed my life.

‘A study on the history of Goguryeo’ published by NAHF, and the copy of Afrasiab Painting

Founding of the Northeast Asian History Foundation, and a New Start

Academics, civic groups and governments considered that there were limitations in diplomatic response to issues related to the Northeast Project. It was suggested that an independent and permanent organization with historical experts should be needed. So, in March 2004, the Goguryeo Research Foundation was established. The Foundation consists of researchers who majored in Gojoseon, Buyeo, Goguryeo history and culture, Balhae, Chinese modern and contemporary history, Korean modern history, Manchu history, Baekdusan, Gando and Russian history. The Northeast Borderland History and the Chain of Events Research Project was not only aimed at Goguryeo, but was a project related to ancient history, present and future of Northeast China. That is why we formed a team to respond.

The task of the Goguryeo team was to correct the problems of China's arbitrary interpretation and claim of Goguryeo, to prepare the logic of response, and to inform the history of Goguryeo at home and abroad. As a result, the related projects were carried out in various fields. The work I conducted directly was the publication of 『History of Goguryeo』. So we thought to publish a book and use it like a business card to announce issues about Goguryeo and the Goguryeo Research Foundation activities. Ten researchers wrote manuscripts on the subject of history and culture from the founding of Goguryeo to the destruction. So we were able to publish a book about Goguryeo in seven months after its establishment. This is because internal and external researchers have been so committed to putting this first. The table of contents had already been prepared. It was for the general public and college students who chose Korean history as a liberal arts course. We have been preparing for them to understand the flow of Goguryeo history and to understand the cultural characteristics of Goguryeo.

On September 22, 2006, the Northeast Asian History Foundation(NAHF) was established by integrating the Goguryeo Research Foundation and the Right History Planning Group for the Peace in Northeast Asia as a permanent organization to comprehensively study the history issues of Korea-Japan and Korea-China. NAHF aimed at establishing strategies organically and suggesting alternatives by studying historical issues and historical conflicts from a macro perspective on the entire history of Korea, China and Japan. Accordingly, it was composed of research team 1 studying history issues between Korea and Japan, research team 2 studying history issues between Korea and China, research team 3 studying territory and territorial sea issues, strategic planning team to develop response strategy and policy for historical issues, and operational planning team. As the Dokdo issue became serious, on August 14, 2008, research team 3 was expanded and reorganized to Dokdo Research Institute.

As the organization expanded, people were dispatched from the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, and the National Defense Graduate School. In the early days, the researchers were hard to adapt because of the low height partition. They had always studied quietly and bowed in their own space surrounded by books. But when they looked up, the environment in which others were doing was very strange.

After the establishment of NAHF, the first thing I was responsible for was publishing a booklet 『Knowing the Northeast Project』. We briefly summarized the Chinese claims related to Gojoseon, Buyeo, Goguryeo, Balhae, Koryo-Chosun, and Baekdusan and our response logic. It was a publicity and educational booklet that summarizes the reasons and characteristics of the Northeast Project, what the Northeast Project left, what we should do, the contents of the Northeast Project and the results of the research. I made a table of contents to make a book, and then asked the researchers of research team 2 to write a manuscript by major. Each manuscript differed greatly in style and breathing. So one needed to restructure it in balance. But the office was so open and bustling that I could not concentrate. There were many jobs in the early days of establishment, and many calls from outside. Chinese, Russian, English, Japanese, and Korean were in the air and mixed into the entire office.

The date to submit the manuscript is approaching, but it was difficult to write because I could not concentrate my mind. There was no way. In the end, I suggested that I would arrange it immediately if I let me work at home. But at the time, there was no system of telecommuting. I took a personal vacation. I sat down for two days and wrote a new article based on the existing manuscript. Then I sent each writer to revise it, sorted it out, and published it. It was sent to several places as a promotional booklet for NAHF and was useful for special lectures and various events.

International Conference ‘The Exchange of Knowledge in East Asia and Memory of History’ (2008.5~11.5~6.6.)

A Study on the History of Goguryeo and the Direction of Projects in NAHF

The most intensive research field in the early days of the Northeast Project was the history of Goguryeo. Since the establishment of NAHF, issues related to Goguryeo are still at the forefront and are one of the main areas. The issue of historical conflict with China has undergone changes in many ways. Even when China started the Northeast Project, it seemed that it wanted to emphasize that Chinese people were a nation from ancient times for the preservation of Chinese territory and the stability of minority, and to emphasize that everyone should unite under 'Making the Chinese Nation' through history.

However, when the news about the Northeast Project became known to Korea, not only Korean academia but also the whole nation protested violently against China's distortion of history. In August 2004, Korea and China signed an Oral Agreement to cooperate to promote the understanding of the people of both countries through academic exchanges. As a result, NAHF and the Research Center for Chinese Borderland History and Geography held academic conferences on Goguryeo every year. And the elementary, middle, and high textbooks published in China do not contain claims based on the Northeast Project. Also, if we asked to revise the contents of the signboards built in Chinese museums and historical sites, it was corrected. Usually what we found was that 'Goguryeo is a local regime in China'.

But this was only China's plan to hide itself, build strength and be peacefully strong. As they cried out to be a great power, a different aspect began to develop. Now, China emphasizes the role and principle of the great nation, and advocates the construction of Chinese-specific socialism and the great revival of the Chinese people. Young people who have grown up and educated based on 'patriotism' are proud of their history and culture than Chinese people at any time. As China pursues 'great-power chauvinism' culturally and the younger generation leads public opinion on the Internet and YouTube, the debate about who is the originator of kimchi and hanbok emerged as the nucleus of the conflict.

In this change, Chinese attitudes toward historical conflicts with neighboring countries have changed a lot. In the past, conflict was limited to the academic and professional fields, but now it has expanded to the realm of the general public. So the direction we respond has changed. Therefore, the research related to China has become more diverse than before, and the scope of dealing with it has expanded. The same goes for research on the field of Goguryeo. NAHF is planning and progressing to include projects related to Goguryeo and the area of ​​the general public. The study on Goguryeo is basically divided into four parts: 'analysis and response to the historical issues of Goguryeo', 'building a foundation for establishing the history of Goguryeo', 'developing research on the history of Goguryeo', and 'spread of right historical awareness'.

To prevent distortion of Goguryeo history, a firm academic foundation is needed. We have built basic data for a long time to deepen and expand the study on the history of Goguryeo. We tried to investigate the remains and accumulate related data to prevent distortion of data. We decided that developing the study of the history of Goguryeo was a preemptive response to prevent arbitrary interpretation of Chinese academia. So we are leading the study on the history of Goguryeo by developing and researching mid- to long-term tasks focusing on the incomplete part and the new field to be noted. On the other hand, we supported Yanbian University to investigate the remains of Goguryeo and Balhae in North Korea and to publish the results. Now, we are preparing to publish 『Goguryeo Tongsa』, which is a collection of research on Goguryeo in Korean academia.

I often say that history is collective memory. It is important that many people know and remember. So, since the founding of NAHF, we have been promoting the history and culture of Goguryeo both at home and abroad. We published and distributed books, held domestic and international conferences, and held exhibitions of Goguryeo tomb murals overseas. The Afrasiab murals were digitally restored and screened on-site at all times, and it is also shown at the National Museum of Korea. Public relations and education projects should go further in the future. We should translate the research into a lot of foreign languages so that people can read more and more books related to Goguryeo. As the days go by, Ethnocentrism is being strengthened in Korea, China and Japan. So each country is concentrating on publicity to spread its logic. We have a significantly smaller population than the two countries. Therefore, we need to strengthen our logic more strategically and spread it more widely.

On the other hand, conflicts over the history of Goguryeo need to be resolved at an academic level through discussions between Korean and Chinese scholars. In the 2000s, there were a lot of researchers studying the history of Goguryeo in Korea and China. It is becoming a generational change in the field of study. It is most desirable to solve academic problems in the academic field. The generation that leads the study on the history of Goguryeo is being replaced. Therefore, it is necessary to increase opportunities to resolve conflicts in a new direction and to restore the history of Goguryeo accurately.

Travelling Exhibition ‘Goguryeo and Balhae Looking Down from the Sky’ (2009)

Epilogue: One more thing

In 2007, NAHF and the Research Center for Chinese Borderland History and Geography held an academic conference on the theme of 'Politics and Society in the Early Goguryeo' in Beijing. Because the conflict between scholars was heightened, all participants presented and discussed in tense situations. I rang the bell right away when it was time to end the presentation. The time for the debate was given the same. I was the host of a debate, and the Korean debater made a little longer remarks. I asked him to stop several times while he was speaking, but he did not finish the discussion until he did what he wanted to say. Then the participants of the Chinese side protested against me. It is problematic that the host gave the Korean side more time to speak. I could not say anything because it was not wrong.

At that time, professors at Yanbian University were in charge of interpreting. There were many archaeological papers, and there were limited number of interpreters of technical terms. So the elder scholar had to continue to interpret. He interprets and says, "This is killing me" without knowing it. Ethnic Korean scholars and Korean scholars laughed at the same time. However, the expression of Chinese scholars became stiff. It was something everyone could laugh at the usual time, and the tense atmosphere could be relaxed. At that time, I realized that misunderstandings could accumulate if people did not know the language of the other party. If we don't talk, the misunderstanding will get bigger. In the end, to reduce the gap in academic problems, we have to meet and discuss and talk frequently.