Inha University professor to head Northeast Asian History Foundation

Lee Young-ho, professor emeritus of Inha University, has been named the sixth president of the Northeast Asian History Foundation, it said Monday. Yonhap

By Do Je-hae

The Northeast Asian History Foundation has named Lee Young-ho, professor emeritus of Inha University, as its sixth president, according to a statement from the foundation, Monday. The former history professor of the private university in Incheon assumed the post on the day for a three-year term.

“Lee has made active efforts to promote a correct understanding of history in Northeast Asia throughout his career,” the foundation said.

In 2004, he was appointed the president of the Korean History Society. The historian also served as an advisor to the Investigative Commission on Pro-Japanese Collaborators' Property from March 2007 through December 2008. The presidential commission was established in July 2006 during the Roh Moo-hyun administration to investigate the assets of former pro-Japanese figures.

The new chief of the foundation is also noted for some of his publications that are related to Korea's economic and cultural transformations around the 1910-45 Japanese colonial rule of Korea. This year, he published a book on the conflict between Christianity and Korea's indigenous religion such as Chondokyo during the late 19th and early 20th century.

Lee taught at Inha University since 1995 until August this year, after which he was named a professor emeritus. He previously also taught history at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) in Daejeon during the beginning of his teaching career.

He entered Seoul National University in 1974 and graduated with a B.A. in Korean history. He acquired his master's degree as well as a Ph.D. in Korean history at the same university.

Lee succeeds Kim Do-hyung, a history professor of Yonsei University in Seoul, who served the foundation for the past three years.

Founded in September 2006, the foundation has sought to ease conflicts arising from differing perceptions of history, and promote peace and prosperity in Northeast Asia through research, publications and conferences.

Most recently, the foundation held an online academic conference on Dec. 8 on the issue of sexual slavery practices carried out by the Japanese military before and during World War II.