The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Korea's Coast Guard apprehends 22 Chinese after illegal entry attempt

  • 3

    Ruling party vows to investigate China's alleged influence operations

  • 5

    TREASURE takes flak for excluding Dokdo from its Japan tour map

  • 7

    Block Party returns to Yongsan for 2nd year

  • 9

    Koreans' happiness rising slowly but surely: presidential panel

  • 11

    Korea crashes out of medal contention in men's basketball

  • 13

    Korean shipbuilders seek lead over Chinese rivals in selling LNG carriers to Qatar

  • 15

    Traffic on major expressways eases on final day of holiday

  • 17

    Hyundai, Kia to extend earnings rally on strengthening dollar, solid sales

  • 19

    Lawmakers want chairmen of financial firms held accountable over misconduct

  • 2

    Public transit fares to increase in Seoul and Busan this week

  • 4

    Genesis GV80 Coupe looks to compete with Mercedes-Benz, BMW

  • 6

    Korean steelmakers on alert over initiation of EU carbon border tariff

  • 8

    SEVENTEEN's unique approach to artistry: A deep dive into self-production and collaboration

  • 10

    Pilot dead after civilian helicopter crashes into reservoir in Pocheon

  • 12

    Korea wins gold medal in men's team Go

  • 14

    30 out of 74 major financial companies lack female board member

  • 16

    Dong-A Socio Group’s honorary chairman passes away at 96

  • 18

    Dream-pop band Nice Legs revisits Korea for Block Party

  • 20

    Gender ministry to expand educational support for children of multicultural families in 2024

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
Opinion
  • Yun Byung-se
  • Kim Won-soo
  • Ahn Ho-young
  • Kim Sang-woo
  • Lee Kyung-hwa
  • Mitch Shin
  • Peter S. Kim
  • Daniel Shin
  • Jeon Su-mi
  • Jang Daul
  • Song Kyung-jin
  • Park Jung-won
  • Cho Hee-kyoung
  • Park Chong-hoon
  • Kim Sung-woo
  • Donald Kirk
  • John Burton
  • Robert D. Atkinson
  • Mark Peterson
  • Eugene Lee
  • Rushan Ziatdinov
  • Lee Jong-eun
  • Chyung Eun-ju and Joel Cho
  • Bernhard J. Seliger
  • Imran Khalid
  • Troy Stangarone
  • Jason Lim
  • Casey Lartigue, Jr.
  • Bernard Rowan
  • Steven L. Shields
  • Deauwand Myers
  • John J. Metzler
  • Andrew Hammond
  • Sandip Kumar Mishra
Thu, October 5, 2023 | 04:59
Mark Peterson
More on invasions
Posted : 2018-07-20 16:57
Updated : 2018-10-25 15:04
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
By Mark Peterson

One of the core elements of Korea's view of its own history is that of multiple invasions. It's a story almost everyone accepts. But it's the key element of my argument that Korean history needs to be rewritten ― at least revised, from my perspective as a frog that has come out of the well.

In the early days of my studies of Korean history, I felt I should be an authentic representative of Korea in telling her story. And though I did not agree with many points of standard Korean history, I used to feel I had to be loyal to Korea, somehow, and not give a variant history ― because that could be called a "distortion" ― a common criticism of historical points of view that don't line up with the accepted point of view.

And the problem is further exacerbated by nationalism and the feelings of victimization of Korea by Japanese distortions of history over time. I have seen students criticize Americans as espousing a Japanese point of view, when they express a viewpoint that is different from the standard Korean history. Sensitivities can run very high.

When, therefore, I started to criticize the standard Korean history, I was prepared to be attacked as being disloyal to Korea. But the opposite happened. Korean audiences have agreed with me and, in fact, say they prefer my out-of-the-well point of view.

I have given my presentations at numerous places, and the response is uniformly and enthusiastically accepting. I've been surprised. I think there is acceptance, because I'm not just making one or two criticisms of Korean history, but I'm making a whole package of criticisms, a complete revamping ― and as a complete package, a comprehensive re-evaluation of Korean history.

Key to this rewriting of Korean history, this view outside the well, is the concept of multiple invasions. It is my view that if we compare Korea to many, many other countries, we see more invasions and wars in other countries ― look at Poland for example. The British Islands, Israel/Palestine and many other countries have had many more invasions ― just Google it (do a quick websearch of "invasions" "list of invasions") and you will see Korea has had very few invasions, compared with other countries. If the frog is in the well, yes, there have been many painful invasions, but if the frog is out of the well, we see Korea has a remarkably peaceful, stable history.

I argued in my last column that Korea had only suffered two major invasions. That may be a bit of an exaggeration, but all other invasions were significantly less in magnitude and impact. I mentioned last time that the two Manchu invasions of 1627 and 1636 were for the purpose of making Korea an ally of the Manchu ― a friend, not an enemy. The Manchus did not rape, plunder and steal, the way the Japanese and Mongols did. They secured the alliance they wanted, and left. Korea violated the agreement, and the Manchus invaded again, and left.

There are other challenges to my point of view, one from the 20th century and one from the seventh century. The 20th century has been horrific for Korea ― taken over by the Japanese, liberated by the Americans, only to be divided by the Americans, which led to the Korean War which is still unsettled, and Korea is still divided.

The 20th century takeover by the Japanese was marked by an invasion, but it was not an invasion aimed at Korea, per se. The invasion was by the Japanese to confront the Chinese. The Chinese were invited in to quell the 1894-95 Donghak Uprising because it had grown too big for the Korean army to suppress, and Korea called on its old ally, China, to assist. But that was the excuse the Japanese needed to start a war with China ― and most of the battles were on Korean soil and in Korean waters. But Japan's enemy was not Korea; the Japanese forces were fighting the Chinese. Therefore, to simply suggest Japan invaded Korea in 1894 does not adequately describe what happened ― this was not just a Japanese invasion of Korea, certainly not like that in 1592.

The next major invasion of the 20th century was of course, the North Korean invasion of South Korea on June 25, 1950. While the consequences in terms of death and destruction were as bad as the worst of the invasions of Korea's past, the invasion was one half of Korea against the other half ― not a foreign invasion. Of course, one can argue the North Koreans were surrogates for the Soviets and the South was a surrogate for the United States or the United Nations.

My point of view is admittedly one of de-emphasizing invasions. The frog-in-the-well argument, however, has over-emphasized the invasion motif, to the point where Korea is portrayed as hapless and weak. My argument is that Korea has not been helpless and weak, and that the few cases where Korea has been the victim of foreign powers are just that ― few.


Mark Peterson (markpeterson@byu.edu) is associate professor of Korean, Asian and Near Eastern languages at Brigham Young University in Utah.


 
wooribank
LG
Top 10 Stories
1POSCO Future M, LG Chem, EcoPro BM hit by plunging lithium, nickel prices POSCO Future M, LG Chem, EcoPro BM hit by plunging lithium, nickel prices
2Gangnam gears up for festival showcasing various K-culture events Gangnam gears up for festival showcasing various K-culture events
3North Korea lays groundwork for US disarmament talks: experts North Korea lays groundwork for US disarmament talks: experts
4South Korea to found cyberwarfare reserve forces in 2025 South Korea to found cyberwarfare reserve forces in 2025
5Samsung targets mid-range market with affordable S23 FE Samsung targets mid-range market with affordable S23 FE
6Bank of Korea takes first step to adopt centralized digital currency Bank of Korea takes first step to adopt centralized digital currency
7Seoul's parks abuzz with fall festivals Seoul's parks abuzz with fall festivals
8Task force planned to prevent opinion-rigging on Daum portal Task force planned to prevent opinion-rigging on Daum portal
9Seoul to invest W5 tril. to become fintech powerhouse Seoul to invest W5 tril. to become fintech powerhouse
10Seoul stocks tumble on concerns over Fed's prolonged monetary tighteningSeoul stocks tumble on concerns over Fed's prolonged monetary tightening
Top 5 Entertainment News
1Crime thriller, romance series set to roll out in October Crime thriller, romance series set to roll out in October
2Korean literature featured as animation works at Incheon Airport Korean literature featured as animation works at Incheon Airport
3[PHOTOS] Kep1er returns with 'Magic Hour' to mesmerize fans PHOTOSKep1er returns with 'Magic Hour' to mesmerize fans
428th BIFF opens with star-studded red carpet event28th BIFF opens with star-studded red carpet event
5TREASURE takes flak for excluding Dokdo from its Japan tour map TREASURE takes flak for excluding Dokdo from its Japan tour map
DARKROOM
  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group