History foundation fights against nationalism for co-prosperity

By Lee Tae-hoon

When the Korean government first launched the Northeast Asia History Foundation (NAHF) in September 2006, China and Japan considered it a declaration of diplomatic war against them.

In fact, then-President Roh Moo-hyun repeatedly vowed to wage such a war over historical distortions ahead of the creation of the foundation amid growing nationalism in Northeast Asian countries.

His remarks came on the heels of China’s Northeast Project, a research program allegedly designed to claim the ancient Korean kingdom of Goguryeo (37 B.C.-A.D. 668) was a fiefdom of China, and a territorial row with Japan over the Dokdo Islets.

Scholars and politicians in China and Japan feared that the Northeast Asia History Foundation would be at the forefront of an all-out war against them and hamper co-prosperity in the region.

However, the record and work of the foundation has proven they were wrong.

“The goal of the foundation was laying the basis for peace and prosperity in the region,” Chung Jae-jeong, president of the NAHF, said in an interview with The Korea Times Monday. “We see no value in destructive fights.”

Surveys show Japanese people’s sentiment toward Koreans improved last year, the 100th anniversary of Japanese annexation of the peninsula.

Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan even issued a statement acknowledging that the annexation was forced on the Korean people a century ago.

“The Japanese public appears to have reacted positively to the foundation’s openness and its willingness to hear their views in shedding light on the annexation illegitimacy,” Chung said.

He noted the history foundation makes efforts not only to address distorted historical facts, but also help Koreans look back on their country’s own mistakes.

“It is now time for Korea to learn a lesson from its past,” Chung said. “We should pay attention to the reason Korea was colonized by Japan from an international perspective. Based on that we can build a more amicable relationship with Japan.”

He said the foundation strives to live up to its name by actively encouraging scholars and civic groups in Northeast Asia to jointly participate in its projects.

“For instance, when we hold a symposium or forum, we invite scholars in the forefront of their field from both home and abroad,” Chung said. “If we only invite those supportive of the Korean government’s stance, such an event would not be very meaningful or have much impact on society.”

In March, the foundation plans to hold an international symposium with a German foundation for scholars and teachers from countries that also share historical conflicts with neighboring countries, such as Palestine, Israel, Germany and Poland.

Chung said the foundation plans to beef up collaboration with European scholars.

He noted that Northeast Asian nations have much to learn from European countries’ success in reconciliation with their neighbors and forming the European Union despite the bitter feelings they hold regarding two World Wars.