The Story of East Asian History by Joo Eul-ryang

Joo Eul-ryang, Head of Digital Business Division, Mam & I

The "Northeast Project," which China has been promoting since 2002, is essentially a massive initiative aimed at redefining the history of the northeastern border regions of China, which have long been dismissed as the history of "barbarians," by incorporating it into the narrative of Chinese history within its current borders. According to the Northeast Project, the histories of Goguryeo and Balhae are reinterpreted as part of Chinese history that unfolded within China's borders.

So why does China assert the Northeast Project? Since the unification of the Central Plains under Qin Shi Huang, present-day China has managed the largest territory in its history. It seeks to create a concept of "One China" that encompasses not only ethnic minorities with strong identities and high aspirations for independence, such as the Uyghurs and Tibetans, but also Taiwan and Hong Kong. Despite some academic overreach, China is pursuing the Northeast Project along with similar initiatives in the northwest and southwest. The Northeast Project is also aimed at preemptively preventing potential border disputes that could arise from the ethnic Koreans living in the Yanbian region, located north of the Korean Peninsula, after the unification of the two Koreas.

One example of this is the inscription at the entrance of Yongjeong Village in Jilin Province, where the birthplace of poet Yun Dong-ju is located, labeling him as a "Chinese patriotic poet of Korean descent." Additionally, China's largest internet search engine, Baidu, lists Yun Dong-ju's nationality as "Chinese" and adds a description identifying him as an ethnic Korean. While Yun Dong-ju spent his childhood in northern Jiandao, his ancestral home is in Hyesan, North Hamgyong Province, and he has never changed his nationality to Chinese.

How should we respond to China's serious distortion of our ancient history through the Northeast Project? It is essential for both South and North Korea to collaborate in furthering research on Goguryeo history and to promote awareness of Korean history and culture, including Goguryeo, in the international community. Moreover, we should take a step further by engaging in scholarly and objective excavation and research from the perspective of Northeast Asian history, aiming to uncover a narrative that satisfies both China and Korea. To achieve this, we must not only assert that Goguryeo is part of our history but also actively engage in diplomatic and academic efforts to lead excavation initiatives on the Chinese side.