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  At the academic conference on ancient Korean history held by the foundation in Washington, D.C., United States, on May 12th, North American scholars presented their research on the main theme of ‘Science and Technology in Early Korean Studies’. The first half of the conference covered the pre-Three Kingdoms period, from the Old Stone Age to the Iron Age, and the second half covered the Three Kingdoms period.

  The list of the presentation topics in the first half included ‘Cultural Transmission and the Social Context of Technological Transitions during the Late Paleolithic of Korea’, ‘Examining the Songgukri Transition through the Eyes of People: a GIS and Landscape Approach’, and ‘Niche Construction of Coastal Farming at the Gungokri Site in Southwestern Korea: 2 Archaeobotanical Data from the Early Iron to Three Kingdoms Periods’. The second half consisted of three presentations: ‘The Technology of Literacy in Iron Age Korea’, ‘The Technology of Writing in Sixth-Century Silla’, and ‘A New View of the Mortuary Complex of Koguryo’s King Gwanggaeto as Revealed by GIS and Historical Imagery’.

  As the title suggests, the first half sought to shed new light on daily life in ancient Korea with the latest archaeological methodologies from North American academia. For the Three Kingdoms period, there were attempts to spark renewed discussion about the existence of the state within its contemporary context through the themes of texts and royal tombs.

Pre-modern Korean history in North America

  This conference was an opportunity to revisit several issue that commonly arise in the study of pre-modern Korean history in North America, and perhaps in Europe and America as a whole. First and foremost, it is worth mentioning the small number of researchers in ancient Korean history. This is coupled with the cold reality that ancient Korean history in general, and pre-modern Korean history in particular, has received relatively less attention in the international academic communities. This is in stark contrast to the global popularity of K-Pop, K-Drama, and other aspects of K-Culture, which may seem somewhat strange. The somber reality of pre-modern Korean history, including ancient Korean history, seems not much different from the situation when I was studying abroad in the early 2000s, and a sense of regret welled up in my heart.

The Pathways of Ancient Korean History in North America

  Looking back at the growth of Chinese and Japanese history in North American academic communities since World War II, it is evident that the initial phase was dominated by the modern and contemporary periods, encompassing politics, economy, and society. What is notable is the fact that in-depth research on Chinese and Japanese history has continued amidst a series of questions raised by the North American historical academic communities. These questions include: ‘Is there a modernity that the West has not yet experienced?’, ‘How does modernity in East Asia differ from modernity in the West?’, ‘Can non-Western modernity be envisioned within the context of East Asian modernity?’, ‘How will East Asian characteristics function within a Western-centric modernity?’. In this process, there has been a gradual increase in interest in the so-called “traditional period” of Chinese and Japanese history before the 19th century. Particularly noteworthy is the fact that research on pre-modern Chinese history and Japanese history has been revitalized as comprehensive studies of Chinese history and Japanese history, playing a significant role in upgrading research on East Asian history within the North American academic communities.

This academic growth along these paths has also promoted the study of comparative history, and furthermore, provided an important motivation for criticizing Western-centric historical narratives such as global history and pursuing a non-Western-centered world history. It even hints at the potential convergence into a historiography that pursues a universal history. It is important to pay attention to the current trends within the North American academic communities, particularly in Korean history, including pre-modern Korean history and ancient Korean history. Considering what kind of message we can convey can provide an opportunity to clarify the value of ancient Korean history within the North American historical academic communities.

  The status of Korean history in the North American historical academic communities has changed since the 2000s. This is because there are not many researchers of East Asian history who currently view Korean history as an intermediate field between Chinese and Japanese history. However, the inclination to perceive Korean history as a separate entity from Chinese and Japanese history carries the risk of isolating Korean history itself. At the same time, the tendency to follow the methodologies that are highly regarded in Chinese and Japanese history carries the risk of diluting the distinctive characteristics of Korean history. Is there any way for the study of pre-modern Korean history, including ancient Korean history, to transcend the dichotomy of China-centric and Japan-centric approaches? If we can understand ancient Chinese history and ancient Japanese history through the lens of ancient Korean history and acquire a more comprehensive understanding of the evolution of East Asian history, this complementary approach will contribute to expanding the scope of ancient Korean history. It is also effective in enhancing the competitiveness of East Asian ancient history in comparative studies with regions outside East Asia. Moreover, it will represent another turning point in the pursuit of non-Western-centric historical narratives.

Ancient Korean History in Universal History

It is not an exaggeration to say that North American historical academic communities have long encouraged interdisciplinary and comparative research, providing constructive momentum for the development of pre-modern Chinese and pre-modern Japanese history. In order to pave the way for research on ancient Korean history in North America, which faces challenges of a barren research environment and insufficient research accumulation, it is necessary to leverage interdisciplinary and comparative research.

  Furthermore, fostering closer academic exchanges with Korean scholars specializing in ancient Korean history is essential to enhance source analysis and methodological utilization. The study of ancient Korean history is not only needed for setting the agenda of the North American historical academic communities today but also plays an indispensable role in understanding ancient Chinese and Japanese history. Furthermore, the study of ancient Korean history challenges the Western, Chinese, and Japanese-centric historical narratives, contributing to the exploration of a more inclusive perspective in Korean history through horizontal thinking. At this point, ancient Korean history can stand on the side of universal history against not only the distortions of the Northeast Project but also the new Chinese historiography that repeats the history of hierarchy and discrimination, aiming for a China-centric world history. I recall once again the idea of ancient Chinese history as human experiences advocated by Benjamin Schwartz, a leading Chines historian in North America.