Newsletter

Discussion forum 'Understanding Korean Culture Right’

On August 10, NAHF and Kang Deuk-gu(member of the National Assembly) held a discussion forum on ‘Understanding Korean Culture Correctly’ for high school students. This was broadcast in real time on YouTube. In this discussion forum, Park Chae-rin(researcher at the World Institute of Kimchi) presented the theme of 'Kimchi, the eternal companion of Korean food'. And Lee Min-joo(researcher at the Academy of Korean Studies) made a presentation on 'Cultural Exchange through Hanbok'. In addition, two speakers and Nam Sang-gu(director of NAHF) answered the questions of the youth who participated in the discussion forum.

Lee Young-ho(president of NAHF) said in a welcoming speech: “Culture cannot be the exclusive property of any country. It is formed in the process of exchanging influences with each other. I hope that future generations will learn attitudes to respect various cultures and have an opportunity to understand Korean culture.”

The forum can be seen again on the YouTube channel. We hope that young people will understand the characteristics of Korean culture including kimchi and hanbok, and seek ways to protect them within cultural diversity.

Chairman Lee Young-ho's Book, 

The Korean Academy of Sciences is selected 

as 'Excellent Academic Books in 2021'

The National Academy of Sciences selected Lee Young-ho's book 《The Conflicts and Solidarity between Donghak, Cheondogyo and Christianity, 1893-1919》 as an excellent academic book. This book studied the relationship between Donghak, Cheondogyo and Christianity during the March 1st Movement from Donghak Peasant War. This identified the genealogy of the People's Movement and revealed that the solidarity in the March 1st Movement was possible not on a sudden cohesion for national independence but on mutual imitation and competition for 15 years.

This year's selected books are 265 books including 67 humanities books, 95 social science books, 35 Korean studies books, and 68 natural science books. The National Academy of Sciences plans to distribute about 80,000 excellent academic books to universities across the country.

The publication of 『Jingyong, which was experienced by the Korean people』

NAHF published 『Jingyong, which was experienced by the Korean people』. This book has written on 22 themes the reality of forced labor experienced by the Korean people in the Japanese colonial and occupied areas. This is noteworthy in that it was published when the people who were damaged by forced mobilization during the Japanese colonial period and their families were suing for compensation.

The author reviewed and wrote the data of the Japanese government and the company at the time, and the results of 160,000 surveys conducted by the Korean government. Based on the understanding of the Japanese national mobilization system, the author detailed the characteristics of each occupation(coal mines, munitions factories, civil engineering workshops, collective farms, terminals) in the mobilization areas such as the Korean peninsula, Japan, South Sakhalin, China, Manchuria and Southeast Asia. This book illuminated the Korean people who actively fought under a strong control system. On the other hand, our society has recognized the history of damage caused by forced mobilization as a practical task to protect human dignity. In addition, it is meaningful that the damage of women and children overlooked by Korean society and academia has been empirically presented. The book disputed the Japanese government and the right-wing claims from the perspective of international organizations such as the International Labor Organization(ILO) and the UNESCO World Heritage Committee. So, it proved that the forced labor conducted by Japan during the war was different from the standards stipulated by the international order.

『Jingyong, which was experienced by the Korean people』 suggests that Japan's issues related to forced labor are the common tasks of the Asia-Pacific. Conflicts stemming from differences in historical perceptions between Korea and Japan continue. In this situation, we hope that this book will contribute to deep understanding of historical facts and refuting the claims of Japan's right-wing forces.

The 3rd Book Review Contest on Educational Books

NAHF will hold the 3rd book review contest on educational books. The contest is divided into adult and youth departments, and you can submit a book review of the educational books and the history of Japanese pillage series published by NAHF. The book review will be applied from August 27 to September 27, and NAHF will hold an awards ceremony at the end of October and award 21 people. For more information including the book list, please visit NAHF's website.