Newsletter

Readers of Northeast Asian History Foundation News, it's the new year of 2022. We have all had a hard time with the pandemic of the Covid-19 for the past two years, and I wish you well and happy in the new year.

NAHF has been trying to pray for peace and prosperity in Northeast Asia, to alleviate historical conflicts and to promote mutual understanding. We believed that if we revealed the truth of 'history', we could overcome the conflict of 'reality' and go out toward peace. But the history and reality of Northeast Asia are moving in the opposite direction. Recently, the US-China confrontation has deepened and the peace of East Asia is threatened. Regardless of historical truths, real-world nationalism is becoming more and more inclined to retroactively define history.

As the conflict and confrontation in Northeast Asia become urgent, we must make efforts to overcome it, and we must find ways and wisdom to solve the problem. Last year, NAHF worked hard to accumulate research results, to devise policies on Northeast Asian issues, to diversify civic education and publicity. In particular, we have come to recognize that it is very important to form and expand consensus with civil society and the media in order to resolve the historical conflicts in Northeast Asia. So NAHF tried to find a way to share research results with academia.

There are many false facts in the online space regarding Northeast Asian history issues. Sometimes, articles that misunderstand the facts or comments that are missing the core are on the media. Misconceptions about historical issues can encourage conflict and confrontation between Northeast Asian countries and citizens. Emotional and provocative criticism will greatly harm peace and stability in Northeast Asia. A representative example of that is the debate over the origins of kimchi and hanbok between Korea and China. We need to recognize exactly what the essence of Northeast Asian historical issues is, why we are in conflict, and what we should do to solve issues. NAHF launched the Northeast Asian History Report on October 1 last year to form a consensus with academia, media and civil society on Northeast Asian history issues. It is distributed twice a month and posted on the website. This year, we are preparing to develop it and publish it as a popular medium in the form of a novel magazine.

It is important to form a consensus on Northeast Asian history issues in Korea, but it is necessary to spread mutual consensus to academia and civil society of Korea, China and Japan. The gap between the perceptions of numerous historical events between Korea, China and Japan is very large. There is a strong tendency to interpret history as nationalist, centered on their own countries. So there are many pending problems that crash sharply. We need to narrow the gap in perception through efforts to find historical truths. No matter what difficulties, academia and civil society in Korea, China and Japan should open the door to dialogue. For a long time, NAHF has strived to communicate with academia in Korea, China and Japan through the East Asian History Research Forum, the Korea-China History Forum and the Korea-Japan History Forum. Although we are slowing down with pandemic due to Kobe 19, we will do our best to open the door to dialogue with Korea, China, Japan, academia and civil society to solve the issues of history and reality.

2022 is the year of the Black Tiger. Black tigers have been regarded as beings that have been driving out the mischievous and bad energy from ancient times. I hope that 2022 will be the starting point for peace to begin, kicking out the historical conflicts of Northeast Asia like a black tiger. Please keep an eye on us with a lot of interest and affection, and send us valuable opinions generously. I wish you all the health and happiness. Happy New Year.