뉴스레터

Editor's Note
An international academic conference on the occasion of the 110th anniversary of the outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War was held on March 22, 2014. Sponsored by the Northeast Asian History Foundation and hosted by the Korean Society of Russian History, this conference was held under the theme of '110 Years Since the Russo-Japanese War' and attended by leading researchers of the Russo-Japanese War from Japan and Russia as well as Korea. Professor Oleg Airapetov at Moscow State University was in Korea to attend the conference, and on March 21 he met with Research Fellow Kim Young-Soo at the NAHF to talk about the Russo-Japanese War, Russo-Korean relations, and historical issues in Northeast Asia.

Q What is your first impression of Korea?

Airapetov I had kimchi today for the first time. Even though I can't really eat spicy food, I gave eating kimchi a try anyway. It was to my taste. Before I came here for the interview, I visited Gyeongbokgung Palace. It was a thrilling experience. I was so excited to be in the place that I had only imagined while reading about it that I almost got goose bumps. Historians should feel history with their five senses. That's why field experience is important. While in Gyeongbokgung Palace today, I had an impression that Korea was 'a country of simplicity with complexity.' In art, expressing simplicity is a very difficult thing to do. I think that the beauty of the Korean people comes from this simplicity, although it may be too early for me to make such judgment because I've been in Korea only for less than a day.

Q You will give a presentation about "Russia's Military Policy" at the conference on the 110th anniversary of the Russo-Japanese War. Please tell us briefly about it.

Airapetov The paper I will present is based on a study that explores how the Russian army prepared for war in the Far East and what was actually going on there. Every war, whether it is won or lost, makes a legend out of its cause. Russia lost the Russo-Japanese War. To explain why it did, Russia created a legend: "Russia knew nothing." This is a very primitive explanation, but that doesn't mean that it falls short as an explanation. The public understands and accepts a concept better the more primitive it is. During my research, I discovered the very interesting facts that there were people in Russia who thoroughly investigated the Far East region and that a majority of Russian military officials at that time perceived the Far East differently from Europe. It is a mystery why Russia, even though it was keeping a good eye on situations in the Far East, failed to put the acquired intelligence to good use and who is responsible. In other words, to explain that Russia's defeat by Japan was due to their ignorance of the Far East situation and lack of preparation is to deny the truth.

Q Then, in your opinion, what was the cause of the outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War? And what were the roles of Korea, if any, at that time?

Airapetov At that time, Korea was the 'object,' not the subject, of that war. A nation or people will inevitably suffer if their own destiny is determined by others. The outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War was caused by the clash of two imperialist policies. Japan was considering emigrating its surplus population to the Korean Peninsula. That's why Japan always regarded the Korean Peninsula as a key issue demanding its attention. At the same time, Japan attached strategic significance to the Korean Peninsula. As can been seen in maps, the Korean Peninsula is a natural bridge. Japan understood well that heading north into the continent would be impossible without controlling the Korean Peninsula. The Russian navy, also well aware of the strategic value of the Korean Peninsula, placed an importance on Korea's independence. So, Russia proposed to build an army for Korea. Russia's plan was to build an army of 4,000 that would allow King Gojong of Korea to defend his country. The Korean army so built in Russian style was in Russia's national interests at that time because it was also armed with Russian weapons and, therefore, had to rely on Russia. I don't think there was anything else Russia could get out of Korea, which was an agricultural country and had no developed industries whatsoever. What was consumed in Korea was not produced in Russia. And what was produced in Russia was not used in Korea. Korea accounted for only 1-1.5 percent of Russia's export. Between 1898 and 1899, only 33 Russian merchant ships entered Korean ports, while up to about 1,000 Japanese ones did so.

Q What military significance did the northern region of the Korean peninsula have at that time?

Airapetov Russia couldn't think light of the northern region of the Korean Peninsula because it was connected to its Maritime Province. The only fortress against attacks from the sea on the Far East region of Russia is Vladivostok. With the Sino-Japanese War from 1984 through 1895, Russia began to feel threatened, because everyone understood well that regions around the Russian border stretching 1,500 kilometers would become vulnerable to military threats once Japan occupied the Korean Peninsula and China. Russia found itself in a situation where it had to respond even though it didn't want to be in confrontation with Japan.

Q Of Diaoyudao (Senkaku Islands), the Kuril Islands (four Northern Islands), and Dokdo, which one is the greatest threat to peace in Northeast Asia?

Airapetov Currently, no territorial dispute exists in Northeast Asia. Only Japan's sovereignty claims are causing controversy. Choosing the term, 'territorial disputes' or 'sovereignty claims,' is extremely important. Currently, Japan is making sovereignty claims against Russia and Korea. It is worth looking into when and at what point Japan's sovereignty claims become strong. Japanese government officials are idealistic pragmatists. They are well aware that their sovereignty claims are not effective and that Korea will never back down. In other words, Japan is still making those claims simply to undermine its relationship with its neighboring countries. Why have the idealistic pragmatists chosen to undermine the relationship with the neighboring countries? Currently, Japan is going through a serious economic crisis and dealing with the aftermath of the Fukushima nuclear disaster. Raising issues about sovereignty is a move to divert the people's attention elsewhere so that they can resolve domestic issues. I don't think the pragmatic Japan will do anything that will threaten peace. Japan is simply taking traditional political measures designed to create public opinion and boost the morale of the people. Japan's neighboring countries should be able to distinguish major issues from minor ones. They should also make pragmatic response, keeping in mind that Japan's leadership is pragmatic.

Q Do you think that Japan wants sovereignty over Dokdo?

Airapetov Who wouldn't want to, if given the chance? Securing Dokdo means change in the territorial waters of a country and presents an opportunity to secure maritime resources. There is no reason for Japan to pass up such an opportunity, If offered. However, while Japan may lay claims to Dokdo, I don't think they will make any attempt to take the island. After all, we are not in the 1930s. Most importantly, Japan's sovereignty claims are not valid. The islands claimed by Japan are either Korean or Russian territory under the current international law. Any action in violation of international law is very dangerous. In the Asian region, there is no threat other than North Korea. In Europe, on the other hand, there is a real, tangible threat: the 2014 Crimean crisis. The Russian people are divided, as are the Korean people. So Russia thinks that incorporating the Crimean Peninsula into its own territory is a natural course of action. But Europe disagrees. In this sense, Europe is more unstable than the Asia-Pacific region.

Q In your opinion, where should Korea and Russia be headed for improvement, and what roles should Korea play in the process?

Airapetov I can only give a general answer because this is not an area of my research. Friends of mine who drive Korean cars tell me how they like those cars for their quality and reasonable prices. I think that this tells us two things. The first is that Korean products now have a very large market share in Russia. The second is that Russian consumers are becoming familiar with Korean products. But it is a shame that Korean culture is still hard to find in Russia. For example, Korean movies have no place in Russia, and vice versa. What Russia and Korea should do for their future is to jump-start cultural exchange, increasing exchange between universities. Not that there is no exchange going on, of course. But the more the better, because people-to-people exchange is the foundation for forging relationships and the fastest way to form the elite and deepen mutual understanding.