뉴스레터

  On May 29th, at 6:00 AM, we arrived at Incheon International Airport, heading towards Mongolia, the land of the blue wolf and white doe descendants. The purpose of our trip was to attend a history teacher workshop and conduct field visits in the northern desert area for a five-night and six-day trip. Our group boarded Korean Air flight KE197, departing at 8:10 AM. The plane soared through the blue sky and white clouds, and before we knew it, we had arrived in Mongolia, the land founded by the descendants of the blue wolf and white doe.

  Before 10:00 local time, we landed at Chinggis Khaan International Airport and went through immigration. The airport staff asked if we had visas, to which we replied that we were visiting as tourists. Since May 2022, visa-free visits to Mongolia for South Koreans had been approved, and it was a moment where we truly felt the convenience of entering Mongolia. Around 11:30 AM, as we entered the arrivals area, we were greeted by Yeo Byeongmu, a professor from the International University of Ulan Bator. While passing through the city, what struck us was the presence of Korean convenience store brands such as CU and GS25 in various locations. According to the local professor's explanation, Korean convenience stores are only slightly cleaner and have slightly friendlier staff compared to Mongolian convenience stores. However, what truly captivates young Mongolians is the presence of desks and chairs where people can sit and work for a while.

Mongolian History Teacher Workshop Held

  May 30th was the day of the Mongolian History Teacher Workshop. At 8:30 AM, we met with the President of the International University of Ulan Bator, Kang Yoyeol, and then headed to the workshop venue, which started at 9 AM. The theme of this year’s workshop is “History and Cultural Exchange between Joseon and Mongolia”. Six speakers delivered lectures on the establishment of history during this period and the bilateral exchanges between the two countries. Since Korean historical dramas like <Hur Jun> and <Jewel in the Palace> were broadcasted on Mongolian TV, history and social studies professors attending the workshop showed great interest in the history of Joseon.

After the lectures concluded, we had a question and answer session. There were intriguing questions, such as why agricultural people were favored and merchants were disdained, as well as more in-depth questions, such as whether the relationship between Joseon and Qing was actually subordinate or merely ceremonial and formal. Many Mongolian professors expressed their appreciation for gaining a deeper understanding of Korea’s Joseon Dynasty. After the Q&A session ended, as the representative of the foundation, I concluded the workshop by delivering certificates of completion to the professors.

Reuniting with my Mongolian friend, Natsagdorj

  I had the opportunity to reunite with Natsagdorj, a researcher at the Mongolian Academy of Sciences during this visit to Mongolia. He is a Mongolian researcher whom I met while I was a postdoctoral fellow at Waseda University

in Japan. At that time, I recognized the need to decipher Khitan script, and I spent about two years studying Mongolian and Manchu, which are linguistically related to Khitan. Coincidentally, Natsagdorj was in his doctoral course at Waseda University, and I initiated an exchange with him, even if it was just a greeting in Mongolian. That exchange eventually led to our connection, and I was able to invite him as a speaker for this year’s workshop.

  Natsagdorj specializes in the history of Mongolian-Russian relations in the 17th century. Perhaps due to his specialization in the 17th century, he showed great interest in my presentation topic, ‘The Introduction of Korean Tobacco to Mongolia’. He informed me that he had previously visited the South-Gobi province’s museum, where tobacco pipes were on display. The museum’s description claimed that the artifacts were excavated in the 16th century, but based on my tobacco presentation, he thought they might actually be from the 17th century, not the 16th century.

Positional Differences between Mongolia and Turkey Regarding the Preservation of Tonyuquq Turkic Inscription

  From May 31st to June 1st, we visited Mongolian historical sites for a one-night, two-day trip. We explored the rock arts of Baga Gazariin Chuluu from the Bronze Age, the tombs from the Hun and Turkic periods, Gunjsum of Terelj, Tonyuquq Turkic Inscription in eastern Ulan Bator city, Manjushri temple of Bogd-Khan mountain. Among them, the current state of the Tonyuquq Turkic Inscription was particularly impressive.

I had visited Tonyuquq Inscription in July 2018, and when I searched for information about it for this visit, I discovered that the Turkish Embassy is currently supporting the construction of a museum and has placed Tonyuquq Inscription in a temporary storage facility for protection, rendering it currently inaccessible for viewing. Seeing the empty space in person where the inscription used to be, the sense of being at a historical site completely disappeared. From the Turkish perspective, their efforts to establish a museum and protect the Tonyuquq Inscription as a record left by their ancestors can be understood. However, the local Mongolian fellow expressed dissatisfaction with the Turkish government. I witnessed a glimpse of one of the many conflicts over the Turkic artifacts in Mongolia.