Korean History

In 19th century America the textbook for reading, or "reader," was predominant as the learning tool for young children. Science selections in these readers introduced students to their first formal science instruction. This paper presents an analysis of the science used in 19th century popular readers. Through a synthesis of expert opinion, the most popular readers (n=46) occurring in 20 year intervals were selected, and then analyzed for quantity of science (by page and by article), content of science (biology, earth science, and physical science), and for how science was used. Results indicate that the average percentage of pages devoted to science in the readers during the 19th century was 17.8. The amount of science peaked in the middle of the century. It is suggested that the inclusion of more science in the readers reflected the growing popularity of science in society; however, a push to make reading more literary was in part responsible for the decrease in science observed in readers at the end of that century. The percentage of science selections that were biological in nature steadily increased and the percentage of earth science topics steadily decreased. Science selections in the readers were presented in a variety of formats, including: didactic explanations, dialogues, stories, poetry, and questions with answers. (Contains 26 references.) (PR)

In 19th century America the textbook for reading, or "reader," was predominant as the learning tool for young children. Science selections in these readers introduced students to their first formal science instruction. This paper presents an analysis of the science used in 19th century popular readers. Through a synthesis of expert opinion, the most popular readers (n=46) occurring in 20 year intervals were selected, and then analyzed for quantity of science (by page and by article), content of science (biology, earth science, and physical science), and for how science was used. Results indicate that the average percentage of pages devoted to science in the readers during the 19th century was 17.8. The amount of science peaked in the middle of the century. It is suggested that the inclusion of more science in the readers reflected the growing popularity of science in society; however, a push to make reading more literary was in part responsible for the decrease in science observed in readers at the end of that century. The percentage of science selections that were biological in nature steadily increased and the percentage of earth science topics steadily decreased. Science selections in the readers were presented in a variety of formats, including: didactic explanations, dialogues, stories, poetry, and questions with answers. (Contains 26 references.) (PR)

Erfahrungsbericht über das Leben als Ausländer im Land des Lächelns

Als ich zum ersten Mal thailändischen Boden betrat, wusste ich wenig über das Leben, das mich hier erwarten würde. Ich war einfach "der Farang"-der Ausländer, der Fremde. Ein Begriff, der in Thailand neutral, manchmal freundlich, gelegentlich aber auch distanziert verwendet wird. Was bedeutete es, ein Farang in diesem Land zu sein? Ich sollte es bald herausfinden. Zwischen Exotik und Alltag Zunächst fühlte sich alles an wie ein nie endender Urlaub: Straßen voller Garküchen, der Duft von Pad Thai und frisch gegrilltem Fleisch, Tempel mit goldenen Buddha-Statuen, der Klang fremder Musik und das Lächeln der Menschen. Doch schnell wurde mir klar: Wer hier leben will, muss mehr tun als nur Staunen. Ich lernte, dass Freundlichkeit nicht immer gleich Verständnis bedeutet. Die thailändische Kultur legt großen Wert auf Harmonie und Gesichtsverlust-direkte Kritik oder offene Konfrontation gelten oft als unhöflich. Für einen Europäer mit direkter Kommunikationsweise nicht immer leicht. Sprachbarrieren und Missverständnisse Ohne Thai-Kenntnisse ist man in vielen Situationen aufgeschmissen. Zwar sprechen viele Thailänder*innen in touristischen Gebieten etwas Englisch, aber für den Alltag-beim Arzt, bei der Behörde oder auf dem Markt-hilft nur eins: lernen. Ich begann also, Thai zu lernen. Langsam. Und mit vielen Missverständnissen. Einmal bestellte ich in einem Restaurant "ped mak" (sehr scharf) und verbrachte den Rest des Abends mit Tränen in den Augen und einem brennenden Mund. Ein anderes Mal sagte ich aus Versehen "maa" (Hund), als ich eigentlich "Mutter" sagen wollte ("mae"). Die Kellnerin lachte herzlich-zum Glück. Die andere Seite der Medaille Als Farang wird man oft mit einer Mischung aus Neugier, Respekt, aber auch Stereotypen konfrontiert. Viele Einheimische gehen davon aus, dass man reich ist-selbst wenn das nicht der Fall ist. In einigen Fällen führt das zu höheren Preisen, in anderen zu einer gewissen Erwartungshaltung. Manche Farangs tragen auch selbst zu einem negativen Image bei-durch respektloses Verhalten, mangelndes Interesse an der Kultur oder durch Klischees, wie sie in bestimmten Touristengegenden leider Realität sind. Ankommen bedeutet Respekt Das Leben als Farang in Thailand kann wundervoll sein-wenn man bereit ist, sich anzupassen. Wer die Sprache lernt, die kulturellen Eigenheiten respektiert und mit einem offenen, aber demütigen Herzen kommt, wird oft mit echter Herzlichkeit empfangen.

When previous researchers interpreted Chong Yagyong’s philosophy of the unity of  mind and nature, few noticed the subtle yet significant differences among the three distinct periods of Chong’s philosophy, namely, the early period (1784~1801), the middle period (1811~1816), and the later period (1822~1827).
During the early period, Chong unfettered himselffrom Yi Hwang’s moral metaphysics, which insisted on the existence of two kinds of human nature;  he instead argued for the existence of one nature having both spiritual and corporal elements. This stance shows that Chong was still in line with the Sungho School’s traditional perspective, which held human nature responsible for moral perception.  Moral agency shifted from one’s nature to one’s mind during the middle period, in which Chong narrowed the function of one’s nature down as an ‘inclination for goodness.’It should be noted that the idea of human nature as an inclination was, although coined by Chong, something quite familiar to southerners in Kyunggi Province, and not something that he created out of nowhere. Although Chong emphasized in innumerous places that human nature is only singular and only good, it seems that he changed this position during the later period. Humans after all have, besides an inclination for goodness, other kinds of inclination, namely, inclinations for food, comfort, and bodily indulgence. This stance, however, was suggested in an attempt to differentiate himself from the Yang-ming line of philosophy, and should not be seen as a dramatic change in his stance from the middle period.
Throughout his life, Chong went about revising, however subtly, his philosophy of mind and nature. Although metaphysical connotations were dismissed, Chong’s identity as a southerner was still preserved as he constantly distinguished himself from other schools of Neo-Confucian scholars. Before one delves into analyzing Chong’s philosophy of mind and nature, the periodical differences should be taken into account.

El tema de las relaciones tributarias 1 que existieron, desde los primeros siglos de la presente era hasta finales del siglo XIX, entre los reinos de Corea y los estados de China, ha sido una de las cuestiones más controvertidas en la historia coreana. Este tipo de relaciones de vasallaje ha existido en distintas épocas y en diversos lugares a lo largo de la historia; luego entonces, ¿por qué las relaciones de esta índole sostenidas entre Corea y China han causado tanta controversia? La respuesta radica en la manera en que en el siglo XX estas relaciones tributarias han sido interpretadas y utilizadas por distintos países imperialistas: Japón, Estados Unidos y, de manera más reciente y en cierto sentido, la República Popular de China. De esta manera, durante la primera mitad del siglo XX, surgió una corriente historiográfica japonesa cuyos exponentes pretendieron legitimar el dominio

When I first began studying Korea as an undergraduate back in the early 1970s, the notion of some sort of regional integration in East Asia was almost unthinkable, despite the fact that the countries in the region had a long history of interstate relations, cultural exchange, migration, and trade. The Cold War regime had divided East Asia into two hostile camps seemingly headed in opposite directions. Japan, South Korea and Taiwan were firmly in the capitalist orbit with rapidly growing market economies, while North Korea, China, and Mongolia were Communist regimes pursuing the construction of socialist economies. There were no formal diplomatic ties, no movement of people or exchanges of culture, and very little trade between the two camps. Yet, by the mid-1990s, East Asian media, scholars, and even some politicians were actively discussing the possibility and desirability of some form of regional integration in East Asia. My purpose here today is to try to provide some historical ...

This article attempts to examine the life and teachings of Yi Sajudang 李師朱堂 (1739-1821), a unique Confucian practical thinker from the Chosŏn dynasty in Korea. Yi Sajudang attached great importance to the situation in which a moral agent found himself, often surpassing in importance that agent's own will. This is reflected in her own life choices and educational theories. Yi Sajudang led a life of deliberation, seeking a place where she could participate in scholarly conversations, maintain her dignity, and be influential among male scholars. Her theory of education also recognized the crucial influence of the environment on the learner, from before birth to the guidance of a good teacher. She strove to create a safe and nurturing environment that offered protection from harm and negative influences while providing gentle support and guidance. Yi Sajudang's life and teachings serve as an example of a Confucian woman who was able to live an autonomous and independent life without succumbing to her difficult situation, which can still be an inspiration to us today.

In his paper, "Rituals as Signs and Dynamics: Methodological Reflections on Dynastic Rites in Goryeo," Yi, Min-Ki challenges the traditional view of Goryeo rituals as mere symbols of a pre-existing order.

He proposes that rituals were, in fact, an active "dynamic" or "driving force" that produced and controlled power. By shifting focus from "what was done" to "how it was done," the paper re-examines specific ceremonies—such as the Sangwon Yeon-deung-hoe (Lantern Festival) and the Gi-sin (ancestor) rituals—to reveal how the strategic use of space, movement, and time actively shaped political reality for all participants.

This research offers a fresh, practice-based methodology for understanding Goryeo history, moving the field beyond abstract institutional analysis to a more tangible exploration of how authority was built and felt. It ultimately suggests that rituals were not just old traditions but a creative, living process that reshaped the world.

During the second half of the 19th century, many political powers-European and Asian alikehad their attention concentrated on a kingdom that was famous for being isolated. Its location and resources were the obvious features that would make it an easy target for invasion. The land of Korea was so secluded from the outside world that it had earned the title of the 'Hermit Kingdom'. As we focus on the happenings in China and Japan, we can't leave out the land for which they were fighting. What were the circumstances like in Korea while China and Japan had been strategizing to gain authority over her?

This paper investigates the evolving dynamics of Ming-Joseon tributary relations during the late sixteenth century, with a particular focus on the diplomatic misalignments and trust deficits that contributed to the delayed response and coordination failures during the early stages of the Imjin War (1592–1598). Drawing upon Korean, Chinese, and Japanese primary sources—including Joseon Wangjo Sillok, Ming Shilu, and collected writings of late-Joseon officials—this study traces Joseon’s oscillating policies between Ming and Japan and the fraying of ritual-based diplomacy. Through case studies such as the 1590 embassy led by Hwang Yun-gil and Kim Seong-il, this paper reveals how cultural superiority, rhetorical rigidity, and systemic misunderstandings within the tributary framework hindered effective crisis management. By reassessing the tributary system through the lens of trust-building, this study offers a nuanced reinterpretation of East Asian diplomacy, where ritual hierarchy masked complex, evolving political and strategic calculations among ostensibly subordinate and dominant states.

El objetivo de este trabajo es abordar la experiencia coreana durante la ocupación japonesa, que inició en 1905 y no acabaría hasta 1945, una vivencia que por tanto también abarca la Segunda Guerra Mundial, que será tratada principalmente desde la perspectiva de las denominadas «mujeres de consuelo», aquellas mujeres que fueron forzadas por parte de los japoneses a sufrir la esclavitud sexual. También en contraposición a esta cara del colonialismo japonés, se pretende ofrecer una visión de resistencia por parte de los coreanos y las coreanas.

수지 김 교수의 저서는 공산주의자 여성들, 특히 한반도의 공산주의자 여성들을 전세계의 페미니즘과 여성성의 맥락 속에 위치시킵니다. 그렇다면 이 책을 우리의 과거로서, 또 우리의미래로서 이해해본다면 어떨까요?

수지 김 교수는 “사회주의 국가의 여성들은 종종 페미니즘을 노동계급의 연대보다 젠더 문제를 우선시하는 ‘부르주아적 일탈’로 여겨 거부했다”고 설명합니다. 하지만 동시에 “사회주의자나 공산주의자 여성들의 주장과 활동들도 페미니즘의 다양한 형태 중 하나로서 포함하기로 선택했다”라고도 썼습니다.

이 “선택”의 의의는 무엇일까요? 여성 운동에서 자유주의 페미니스트들만을 주요 행위자로 보는 것이 아니라는 점에서...

Korean Catholic believers hold the mourning, funeral, and burial ceremonies as stipulated in the Sangjang yesik (Rites for mourning and funerals), published by the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of Korea (CBCK) in 2003. The CBCK, following the decision of its 2002 autumn regular general assembly, published the new edition as an adaptation of the Ch’ŏnju sŏnggyo yegyu (Catholic liturgical rites), which was compiled by Bishop Daveluy Marie Antoine Nicolas (1818-1866) of the Society of Foreign Missions of Paris (MEP) in 1864. The revision aims to align it with traditional funeral rites and modern sensibilities while deepening its spiritual meaning. This essay examines the contemporary Korean Catholic rituals of mourning, funerals, and burials and sheds light on the religious diversity and inculturation presented in these ritual processes.

BBK: 63.4 O'zbekiston arxeologiyasi muammolari (III Respublika ilmiy konferensiyasi tezislari). -Toshkent, 2025. -348 b. _______________________________________________________________ Konferensiyasi tezislari tarixchilar, arxeologlar, tarix va arxeologiya ixtisosligi talabalari, magistrantlari, tayanch doktorantlari va mustaqil tadqiqotchilar hamda O'rta Osiyo tarixi bilan qiziquvchi keng doiradagi o'quvchilarga mo'ljallangan. Milliy arxeologiya markazi Ilmiy kengashining 2025-yil 14-maydagi 5-sonli yig'ilishida muhokama qilingan va nashrga tavsiya etilgan.

In May 1989, I visited North Korea as a member of Seton Hall University Asia Center delegation at the invitation of Hwang Jang-yop, president emeritus of Kim Il Sung University and foreign affairs secretary of DPRK's ruling Workers' Party. Among the various people I met during a hectic one-week stay in North Korea, he was the most impressive and knowledgeable person. I was impressed by the depth and width of his knowledge of what was happening in the world. According to the head of the USSR (Russian) Academy of Social Science delegation staying at the same guest house where we stayed, "Dr. Hwang is a free thinker-perhaps the only one, in addition to President Kim Il Sung-who appears to have a complete freedom of speech in this country." Hwang was also gracious enough to provide a one-hour lecture on the Juche (self-reliance) Philosophy he was known to have developed on behalf his leader, Kim Il Sung. The current essay highlights the (mental and physical) notes I took during the one-on-one encounter with him. Lately, what Dr. Hwang iterated and reiterated in various ways chimes piercingly in my heart and mind: "The proper way to the salvation of the Korean nation is the way of intellect. Both North and South Koreans should put down their swords and money and think hard." Today, as ever, the Korean Peninsula needs autonomous and socially responsible men and women equipped with high intellect. I would tell such men and women: "Do you ask me 'what is the future of the Korean Peninsula?' I will tell you. Think hard with your intellect and step out on your feet. The road is open to you." I feel Hwang Jang-yop would concur in his grave.

Japón siempre tuvo interés en la península coreana pero fue a partir de la Guerra ruso-japonesa cuando en 1905 estableció un protectorado en el antiguo reino de Joseon, no obstante, fue en 1910 cuando Corea se convirtió en colonia del Imperio del Japón, no sin la gran resistencia de los coreanos y las coreanas ante la brutal represión que se mantuvo durante todo el periodo colonial, que finalizaría en 1945. La esclavitud sexual fue sin duda la máxima expresión del horror que trajo consigo el imperialismo japonés.

ÖZ "Kazakistan Korelilerinin Sosyo-Kültürel Yapısı" başlığı altında hazırlanmış olan bu çalışmada, Kazakistan'daki Koreli topluluğunun zorunlu göç tarihi ele alınarak, günümüzdeki durumu, özellikle de sosyo-kültürel yapısı irdelenmiştir. Kazakistan Korelileri, Kazakistan Cumhuriyeti'ni oluşturan birçok etnik gruptan biridir ve bilinen nüfusları yaklaşık olarak 100.000 civarındadır. Verilerin nicel araştırma ve nitel araştırma yöntemleri kullanılarak toplandığı bu çalışmada, Kazakistan Korelilerinin dil, din, eğitim, ekonomik durum ve etnik kimlik duygusu anket ve mülakat yolu ile araştırılıp bilgiler elde edilmiştir. Kazakistan Korelilerinin kültürü, geçmişte ve günümüzde yaşadıkları coğrafya, devlet politikaları, bölgede bulunan diğer topluluklar ve bunların kültürleri ile sıkı bir etkileşim içindedir. Bu bölgedeki Koreli nüfusun azlığı, ulusal özerkliğin olmayışı, yüksek kentsel yerleşim oranı gibi sebeplerden dolayı ve hızlı sosyo-ekonomik gelişmeye bağlı olarak Koreliler, kendi etnik kökenlerini bir noktaya kadar koruyabilmişler ve yoğun olarak başta Rus kültürü olmak üzere Kazak kültürüne de uyum sağlamışlardır. Özellikle dil konusuna gelecek olursak, Kazakistan Korelileri anadilleri olan Koreceyi neredeyse unutmuşlardır. Din durumunun özelliklerinden biri, diğer çoğu etnik gruplar gibi bir ana din oluşturmadan halkın çeşitli dinlere dağılım göstermesidir. Eğitim ve ekonomik durumu ise aynı coğrafyada bulunan diğer milletlerden daha yüksek ve istikrarlıdır.

The Korean Peninsula has been inhabited since at least 10,000 BCE, with evidence of settlements dating back to circa 6,000 BCE. The earliest dynastic kingdom, Gojoseon, is traditionally believed to have been founded roughly 4300 years ago, yet remnants of even older civilizations remain scattered across the country. Among these are megalithic structures, such as dolmens from the 2nd millennium BCE, with hundreds of thousands spread across the Korean landscape.

While Korean mounds are typically classified as tombs, their true purpose may be more complex. Much like the Egyptian pyramids and temples, which were initially assumed to be exclusively burial sites, and the mounds and pyramid-like structures of China, these mounds have been assigned a similar identity despite a lack of widespread human remains. The sealed wooden chambers, encased in layers of clay and earth, were designed to protect their contents not only from grave robbers but potentially from environmental elements as well. Ancient sites like the Gaya Tumuli or the Marsian Tumuli Mounds, traditionally considered burial sites, may instead represent fortified dwellings or repositories of cultural preservation, safeguarding knowledge and artifacts of a lost civilization. If any Korean mounds contain artifacts that don’t align with typical burial practices, this could support this theory.

In the early twenty-first century, the rule of law has been universally and internationally recognised as a human and social good or virtue. The rule of law may be used as a conceptual tool in comparative law to study different legal systems, and to assess the extent to which a particular legal system adheres to its requirements. States whose legal systems fall short of such requirements are sometimes described as practising 'rule by law' rather than 'rule of law'. In recent decades, the concepts of the 'dual state'-with a duality of rule of law and lawlessness in different domains of the operation of the state and society-and 'authoritarian rule of law' have been developed and used to study such legal systems as those of Nazi Germany and South Africa.  More recently, the concept of the 'dual state' has also been applied to study the legal system of the People's Republic of China.

This preliminary survey presents the first systematic comparative onomastic analysis of the ethnonyms Kudara (百濟, Baekje) and Köktürk (commonly referred to as 突厥 in Chinese sources), two briefly contemporaneous Eastern Eurasian polities whose nomenclature remains semantically opaque despite extensive philological attention. While both empires overlapped in lasting Han and Xiongnu cultural-linguistic influence spheres, preceding both empires, no previous scholarship has examined potential structural or semantic parallels between their names. Employing a comparative philological methodology, this study analyzes sources alongside modern etymological proposals, with a particular focus on the initial morphemes. Preliminary findings suggest that both ethnonyms may share a component with a common semantic domain, implying the “greatness” concept. These parallels, while tentative given current evidential limitations, indicate that comparative onomastic approaches for Kudara and Göktürk may illuminate broader patterns of political nomenclature in Eastern Eurasian state formation to address persistent lacunae in linguistics and anthropology.

This review examines Jeong Jae-hun’s The History of the “Kök” Türk Nomadic Empire (552–745) (Seoul: Sagyejeol, 2016), the first comprehensive Korean-language study of the Kök Türk Khaganate. Employing an “Ashina-centered” framework, Jeong integrates Chinese dynastic histories with Old Turkic inscriptions to reconstruct the empire’s formation, expansion, Tang domination, and reconstitution. The analysis foregrounds the Kök Türks’ trade-centered state system and situates their political and cultural legacy within Silk Road dynamics. Offering a “third-party” alternative to Sino- and Turco-centric historiographies, the work contributes new conceptual tools to nomadic empire theory. Despite limited coverage of the Western Kök Türks and certain source gaps, it represents a foundational reference for Eurasian steppe studies and Korean engagement with transregional history.

This paper reports on content analysis of the Korean Christian newspaper Kidok Sinmun (1998-2020) with regard to how conservative evangelical elites (CEs) change their discursive resources to construct persuasive appeals against the global LGBT movement. Our findings demonstrate that the CEs focus on different sources of moral authority in response to changing political ideologies of the Korean government or regardless of such ideologies (scientific research, family value). During the progressive Roh Moo-hyun and Moon Jae-in administrations, discursive tactics linked LGBT rights with the existential threat to liberal democracy or constitutional value, while the key words such as national security or military discipline were more frequently employed under the conservative Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye governments. Moreover, experiences shared by the transnational network of Christian activists appear to influence the construction of local perceptions on homosexuality.

Die Frage, die ich verfolgte, lautete: ist es möglich, dass es weit höher kultivierte Menschen in China gibt als in Deutschland? Wenn ja, warum. Ich suchte vor allem in der Philosophie des Daoismus und Mahayana- Buddhismus, durch beobachtende Teilnahme von Ritualen sowie auch in der westlichen Qi- Forschung.

Focusing on intellectual history, Confucian ideology, legal culture, emotional discourse, and ritual practices, the article analyses how European scholars have approached Chosŏn Korea not as an isolated polity but as a society actively negotiating its place within transregional currents of ideology, commerce, and knowledge. These works challenge older Sinocentric models by interpreting the adoption of Confucian norms, bureaucratic governance, and kinship structures as localised responses to broader geopolitical and epistemic transformations.

Anhand der TV-Serie Mr. Sunshine soll das Konzept des "Chinilpa" als eigenständiger literarischer und cineastischer Charakter in Abgrenzung vom "liebenswerten Lebenskünstler" diskutiert und seine geschichtspolitische Funktion innerhalb des "Sageuk"-Genres erläutert werden. In der Umgangssprache wird "Chinilpa" in Südkorea als Kampfbegriff gegen alle Koreaner*innen verwendet, die sich in der Kolonialzeit angepasst haben oder apologetisch über die japanische Kolonialherrschaft (1905-1945) urteilen. Die Serie ist in einem Zeitfenster angesetzt, das als Schlüsselmoment für die Nationswerdung Koreas verstanden werden kann. Nach einer über zweihundertjährigen Phase politischer Isolation brachen zwischen 1865 und 1905 Moderne, Kapitalismus und Imperialismus mit Gewalt in das kleine ‚Einsiedlerreich' in Ostasien ein. Mr. Sunshine folgt den Lebenswegen der Protagonist*innen Eugene Choi, Go Ae-sin und Koo Dong-mae durch das untergehende Königreich Joseon bis zur Annexion durch Japan. Für den Leibeigenen Choi und den Unberührbaren Koo eröffnen sich neue persönliche Handlungsspielräume, die sie auf unterschiedliche Weise nutzen. Als primärer Antagonist der Serie wird der Übersetzer und Diplomat Lee Wan-ik präsentiert, der durch seine Kontakte nach Japan reich geworden ist. Lee Wan-ik ist vom ‚alten' Korea desillusioniert und strebt die Unterwerfung Koreas durch Japan an. Mr. Sunshine stellt Koo und einige Nebencharaktere als ‚sympathische' Opportunisten dem "Chinilpa", also dem ‚verwerflichen' Opportunisten, Lee Wan-ik gegenüber. Damit leistet die Serie einen geschichtspolitischen und erinnerungskulturellen Debattenbeitrag zur Frage nach individuellen historischen Handlungsspielräumen.

Chosŏn ryŏksa chidoch’ŏp (Atlas of Korean History) (1956) and Chosŏn ryŏksa chidoch’ŏp: kodae, chungse p’yŏn (Atlas of Korean History: Ancient and Medieval Times) (1961) are rare materials that provide a glimpse into North Korean history education in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The atlases are a valuable tool to analyze the Korean history curriculum at the middle school (chunghakkyo) level. The two books are unlikely to be preserved in public DPRK collections, since many parts of their content (like the location of the Ancient Chosŏn state, etc.) has been revised. The books are also not found in libraries outside of the DPRK due to the general ban on any export of teaching materials and textbooks. The publications were acquired by Jaroslav Bařinka (1931–2020) while he was part of the Czechoslovakian embassy in Pyongyang from 1955 to 1959 and during his research stay at the Academy of Sciences between 1960 and 1961.
Links to download: https://korean-histories.org/sources/1956_atlas.pdf
https://korean-histories.org/sources/1961_atlas.pdf

Тhe article is dedicated to the 65th anniversary of the remarkable Orientalist and teacher
Sergei Georgievich Koshurnikov (1960–2002) who has trained many Russian Assyriologists and
historians. It contains a biography of the scholar, supplemented by a description of his scholarly and
pedagogical activities. The main areas of S.G. Koshurnikov’s activities are considered: research into
the economy and political history of the city of Dilbat in the Old Babylonian era, research into the
prosopography of Dilbat, study of the history of ancient Mesopotamia using computer technologies,
creation of a database of Old Babylonian economic texts. The list of references includes all of the
scholar’s published works.
K e y w o r d s : S.G. Koshurnikov, Assyriology, St. Petersburg State University, Dilbat.

During the 15th and early 16th centuries, the Chosŏn court attempted at various junctures to issue some form of centralized currency. These attempts at transforming the monetary landscape, however, had disappointing results. The usual explanations for these failures focus on either the early Chosŏn court's limited understanding of economics or a general "underdevelopment" of the Korean economy, which was unable to absorb the currency influx. Underlying these analyses is the presumption that the use of money develops along a linear trajectory from barter, to coinage, and finally to fiat currency backed by sovereign wealth. In this view, which privileges metallic currency in particular (at once a Eurocentric and Sinocentric conceit!) also conceives each mode of currency as indicative of a particular stage of economic development. However, more recent work in the theory and history of money have forced a revision of once standard views. David Graeber's argument that credit systems (not "barter", which never existed) were what preceded the creation of state-issued currencies, Akinobu Kuroda's examination of currency dual circulation in historical rural economies, and Bin Yang's work on non-centralized "proof-of-work" currencies such as cowries, should force a reexamination of the relationship between economic activity, means of exchange, and state policy in the early Chosŏn. Although the limited source base for early Chosŏn economics will likely preclude definitive conclusions, this paper shows how comparative and conceptual engagement with the new, revisionist scholarship can reframe our understanding of key monetary policies in the early Chosŏn, especially with regard to the vernacular "proof-of-work" cloth-based currency, and their failures. Rather than an indication of Korean economic underdevelopment, the challenges faced by the Chosŏn court is better seen in terms of the "centralizing" state's attempt to insert itself as a privileged actor in a preexisting, vernacular economic structure.

The purpose of this paper is to explain the differences in perspectives on the human soul between scholastic philosophy and Neo-Confucianism through an analysis of Shin Hudam’s criticism on Lingyan Lishao, a work authored by Sambiasi in 1624. Shin Hu-dam, a prominent figure in the Gongseo school in late Choson, rejected the notion of the soul as a substantial form of human beings, drawing instead on the Neo-Confucian concept of the soul as a gathering of Qi. He further negates epistemology of faculty psychology based on the concept of the mind as an interior whole. Moreover, he denounced the scholastic idea that the goal of the soul consists in achieving the supreme good, labeling it as heretical. Shin Hudam should be recognized for his historical significance in providing a theoretical basis for the critique of Western learning by the Neo-Confucian scholars in Choson, ensuring their response was not merely political or religious backlash but grounded in moral-psychological criticism.

Ŏmma and ŏmmŏni, meaning "mom" and "mother," often evoke sentiments of devotion, sacrifice, and strength in Korea. This is such the case that when writing about a possible "cultural icon" for Korea, columnist Kim Seung-kon even suggests the "Korean mother": a "unique and exceptional" "life-saving force" ceaselessly nurturing, embracing, and comforting. 1 Indeed, as he notes, the mother has "a special place in Korean culture." Through the trials and tribulations of Korea's modernity, women-as-mothers have supported the family (and, by extension, the nation) economically and emotionally, and nowhere is this more clearly manifested than in cultural productions-including film. From sentimental melodramas of the golden age 1960s to mystery-noir thrillers of recent times, mothers have been a staple in Korean cinema. Whether glorified, punished, or redeemed, women have been repeatedly represented as sacrificial and life-saving so as to solidify this idea(l) of motherhood. Recently, however, audiences-especially the industry's most coveted female audiences in their 20s and 30s-have begun to openly express

Ŏmma and ŏmmŏni, meaning "mom" and "mother," often evoke sentiments of devotion, sacrifice, and strength in Korea. This is such the case that when writing about a possible "cultural icon" for Korea, columnist Kim Seung-kon even suggests the "Korean mother": a "unique and exceptional" "life-saving force" ceaselessly nurturing, embracing, and comforting. 1 Indeed, as he notes, the mother has "a special place in Korean culture." Through the trials and tribulations of Korea's modernity, women-as-mothers have supported the family (and, by extension, the nation) economically and emotionally, and nowhere is this more clearly manifested than in cultural productions-including film. From sentimental melodramas of the golden age 1960s to mystery-noir thrillers of recent times, mothers have been a staple in Korean cinema. Whether glorified, punished, or redeemed, women have been repeatedly represented as sacrificial and life-saving so as to solidify this idea(l) of motherhood. Recently, however, audiences-especially the industry's most coveted female audiences in their 20s and 30s-have begun to openly express

La sociedad surcoreana actual se caracteriza por una alta competitividad que está causando presiones en los jóvenes, así como tensiones sociales entre distintas generaciones. Las características de esta realidad social, que ya advertía Han Byungchul en algunos de sus ensayos como La sociedad del cansancio (2010), están siendo abordadas también por la literatura desde el punto de vista de la ficción. En este sentido, mientras que algunas obras hacen una interpretación desde la ciencia ficción especulativa, como Mil azules de Cheon Seonran, y otras, como Pyobaek de Chang Kangmyeong, lo hacen desde un realismo con tintes distópicos, novelas como Contraataque a los 30 de Sohn Wonpyeong sitúan al lector en la realidad de una protagonista corriente, que se esfuerza por navegar la tendencia social que exige a todos destacar para encontrar su lugar en la sociedad. Este trabajo analiza la representación de las dinámicas de competitividad y brecha generacional que constituyen el motor narrativo de Contrataque a los 30 de Sohn Wonpyeong, con especial énfasis en el concepto de kkondae, calificativo empleado por los jóvenes para definir a una generación anterior autoritaria, condescendiente y resistente a los cambios culturales y de valores.

The Cultural Identity and Intellectual Heritage of the Nangnang Wang Clan
-A Study through the Biography of Wang Kyŏng-

This study explores the cultural identity and scholarly traditions of the
Nangnang Wang clan (樂浪王氏) through an analysis of the biography of
Wang Kyŏng (王景) in the Biographies of Upright Officials (循吏列傳) from the
Book of the Later Han (後漢書). Focusing on how the clan’s intellectual
traditions were formed and sustained, the study reveals that the Nangnang
Wang clan maintained their status as local gentry (chaeji hojok, 在地豪族)
amid political upheavals—including the rise of Wiman Chosŏn, the
establishment of Nangnang-gun (Lelang Commandery), and the rebellion of
Wang Cho (王調)—while preserving their family’s scholarly legacy in
astronomy (ch’ŏ nmun, 天文) and divination (sulsu, 術數), rooted in the classical learning (kyŏnghak, 經學) traditions of Shandong, China. Notably, their cultural identity appeared closer to "Confucian scholars" (yu, 儒) rather than "Han Chinese" (hanin, 漢⼈), as the clan’s progenitor, Wang Chung (王仲), had minimal ties to the Han court. By challenging the conventional label of
"indigenized Han Chinese" (t’och’ak hanin, ⼟着漢⼈), this study redefines the
Nangnang Wang clan as a localized powerful family (chaeji hojok) and offers new insights into their socio-political role in early Korean history.

The story of Pom K. Soh, a nineteenth-century Korean political exile who found a new home in America. Living in Washington, D.C., he would become the first Korean member of the Theosophical Society. In this capacity, he would teach Americans about Buddhism and the intricacies of his faith. His cremation service in 1897 would be officiated by a fellow Theosophist, a former Confederate soldier, George M. Coffin.

This study examines the Russo-Japanese War that took place in 1904-1905. In the
introduction, information about the general situation in the Far East in the 20th century is
given, and in the following sections, the way to the war is examined. The situation of the
armies of the two states is analysed in detail with tables and pictures. In the war chapter,
the land battles on the Liaoyong Peninsula and the naval battles around the Korean
Peninsula are detailed using American and British reports and Japanese archives. In the
following chapter, the way to peace, American mediation and the effects of the war are
analysed through state reports, military sources, articles and pictures of the period as
mentioned above. In the research, mainly Japanese, British, American and Ottoman
sources were used. In the chapter of the study, visuals of the period are added with their
explanations.

Han Kang's Nobel Prize in Literature provided a fresh literary and social awakening both for
South Korea and the international community. Her universal questions about human vulnerability
touched hearts worldwide, transcending Korean history. The massacres in Jeju and Gwangju
are not phenomena unique to Korea, with many parts of the world still healing from, or experiencing,
war and death. The anachronistic declaration of martial law on Dec. 3, 2024 by Korean
President Yoon Suk Yeol was an incomprehensible shock that stirred up dark memories and
painful wounds of state violence. However, South Korean democracy is resilient, and Korean
society continues its efforts to properly heal and bid farewell to the darkest periods of its past.
The martial law incident served as a good opportunity for many Millennials and Gen Z, both
inside and outside South Korea, who were moved by Han Kang's novels to empathize with and
learn about Korean history and democracy. The incident became an opportunity to revisit Han
Kang's works. South Korea will walk through a recovery process, creating a more vibrant and
brighter forest of trees.

Chapter 1 by Sixiang Wang problematizes understanding Chosŏn as Korea’s early modern. Wang notes two rival conventions in the historiography of Korea. A “short convention,” which refers to precolonial Korea’s Open Port Period (1876–1910) as early modern (Ko. kŭndae), is out of line in the sense that historians working on all other regions generally speak of the early modern era from the fifteenth to nineteenth century. A “long convention,” which places Korea on the same temporal scale as other regions, raises the question of how to situate Korea within a larger story of global early modernity. The problem with “early modernity” as a Eurocentric concept is its presumption that history follows a universal trajectory as understood in liberal positivism and Marxist teleology, according to which each stage has distinct characteristics. While arguing that the global early modern tropes of, among others, commerce, connection, and cosmopolitanism do not apply neatly to Chosŏn, Wang urges readers to view global periodization as a tool for drawing connections and making comparisons rather than a proxy for essentialization.

This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license.

In 1488, the Korean kingdom of Chosŏn received emissaries from China announcing the accession of a new Ming emperor. The two sides engaged in a protracted dispute over what appears to be a trivial detail in an accessory ritual: whether the king would welcome the emissaries while borne on a palanquin or riding a horse. The dispute’s resolution was even more curious: rather than conceding, the two sides conducted the reception ritual twice. This article examines the process of this dispute and argues that the dispute warrants rethinking what has traditionally been understood as an uneven, bilateral diplomatic relationship in terms of an early modern Sino-Korean constitutional order. The casuistic mechanisms used by both sides to argue their points drew upon divergent interpretations of a shared, but multivalent repertoire of authority: a common imperial and classical past rooted in the sense of a Chinese translatio imperii.

Working within the framework of the “city-as-archive,” this article investigates recent place-making processes that have occurred in Seoul, South Korea—debates over the function and symbolism of Gwanghwamun Square. The nature of the dynamics in who archives a city is determined by which actors hold power in place-making. In turn, archiving a city is a vigorously political process. In order to understand how the actors of Gwanghwamun Square’s place-making affect the visualization and formation of shared city stories and memories, three significant stages of development at Gwangwmun Square will be examined: 1) the construction of a historical site that archives political ambition and nation-building, 2) the creation of an icon for global brand-building, and 3) as the archival site of conflicts between political leaders’ ambitions and their citizens’ priorities. By analyzing three phases of re-development, it becomes clear how power shifts, and how the scope of stakeholders expands and changes. It reveals the city as an archive, how a public space has been (re)collected, revised, retrieved, and erased by different stakeholders during different political contexts.