뉴스레터

International symposium commemorating the founding of the International NGO History Forum for Peace in East Asia

First, I would like to welcome the establishment of the International NGO History Forum for Peace in East Asia, whose founding ceremony was held on April 1. Its founding vision is set forth as follows: to develop agendas to promote peace and historical reconciliation in Northeast Asia and serve as a communication channel between NGOs. The Forum seeks a shared historical awareness by working not only with Korean NGOs but also with history-related NGOs around the world and strives to contribute to the building of a peaceful society founded on cooperation and mutual growth.

Following the founding ceremony, an international symposium was held as the Forum's first official event. The symposium's main theme was "Seeking Alternatives for East Asia's Historical Reconciliation." Session 1 dealt with the international conditions of East Asia and the region's historical disputes and possible solutions. The presenters were WAKAMIYA Yoshibumi (Japan), former editor-in-chief of Asai Shimbun, and YI Mahnyol (Korea), a senior historian and professor emeritus of Sookmyung Women's University. Session 2 provided outside perspectives on the historical tension in East Asia. The presenters were Edward REED (USA), the Korea Representative of the United States' Asia Foundation; Alexander I. PETROV (Russia), Researcher at the Russian Academy of Sciences; and Rebecca Mbu DELANCEY (Cameroon), Professor at Jungwon University. The symposium, attended by around 100 members of history-related NGOs and researchers, demonstrated how we come to understand history and how a history of peace can unfold.

"Can Japan ask for tolerance and openness?"

In his paper entitled "For the Reconciliation between Korea and Japan," Wakamiya proposes that with the centennial of Japan's annexation of Korea just a year away, Japan and Korea must foster future-oriented bilateral relations by recognizing that they share a common destiny. He hopes that a new era of bilateral competition over tolerance and openness unfolds. Lee's paper, entitled "The International Environment of East Asia in 2009 and Historical Tension: Seeking Solutions," talks about the historical distortions of Korea, China, and Japan and argues that wisdom is needed to resolve historical disputes. Lee contends that to this end, the collaborative efforts of the NGOs of the three nations is just as important as government-led initiatives. He recommends a serious reflection on the past, the elimination of excessive nationalism, and joint history research projects.

As expected, there was a heated debate during the Q&A session following Session I as many disagreed with Wakamiya's stance. The opposing argument centered on the fact that Japan's history textbooks continue to distort the past and Japan continues to claim sovereignty over Dokdo when Japan has yet to offer a sincere apology for its colonial rule. The jist was that Japan has no right to talk about "tolerance and openness" when it is the perpetrator of historical distortions. In response, Wakamiya said that both sides must take a step back from the issue; otherwise, tension will only escalate and Korea-Japan relations will suffer further. On a personal note, I also agree that this is the biggest hurdle to resolving the historical disputes between the two countries.

The unfortunate reality is that historical interpretations are determined by political motivations. Nonetheless, what is clear is that perpetrators of historical wrongdoing must face the facts, demonstrate genuine remorse, and provide adequate compensation to its victims. The peace that comes about without fulfilling these basic preconditions would be a temporary one; these prerequisites are vital to realizing lasting peace.

This applies not only to interstate tension but also to domestic tension. Simply sweeping the dark past under the rug will not solve anything. Rather, historical facts must be uncovered through research and dialogue and appropriate apologies and compensations made to prevent the recurrence of past tragedies. This is how historical tension can be resolved peacefully and this is what true reconciliation and cooperation signify. In this respect, the symposium was a reminder of how important it is for NGOs to come together to engage in academic dialogue and carry out other such activities in order to realize historical reconciliation.

Opportunity to examine historical tension from outside perspectives
Session 2 was an opportunity to look at East Asia's historical disputes from third-party viewpoints. In his paper "Northeast Asia History Disputes and the Role of Civil Society," Reed explains that the countries of Northeast Asia have risen to occupy central positions in the international stage. As such, he contends that the governments and the peoples of the region must work together to build a new history by resolving shared problems and enhancing mutual understanding.

Petrov presented a paper entitled Connection of Times" in which he emphasizes the importance of dialogue and cooperation, calling for the establishment of a joint history committee and joint trips to historical sites for the youths of Korea, China, and Japan. DeLancey's paper, "The Significance and Contribution of Women's Groups in Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding in Africa," introduces cases in which women took the helm and peacefully resolved horrendous civil conflicts in Africa.

Session 2 was a reminder that the historical disputes in East Asia garner the interest not only of Korea, China, and Japan but also the world at large. We, too, must look beyond the region and study successful cases of historical reconciliation in Europe and Africa so that we can apply them to our efforts toward resolving historical disputes.

The symposium was meaningful in that it was an opportunity to contemplate on what we need to focus on in order to resolve the historical disputes in East Asia and examine historical tension not only from our perspective but also from outside perspectives. It was also helpful in formulating a rough outline for the resolution of historical tension in order to realize peace in East Asia.

It is our hope that we can all grow by overcoming historical disputes through truth and reconciliation and move forward hand in hand. It is expected that the International NGO History Forum will play a leading role in this long-term effort.