Seo Hui Project

Have you ever heard of the Korean hero, Seo Hui?
In 993 AD, Khitan General Xiao Sunning invaded Goryeo. Confronted with 800 thousand Khitan soldiers, Goryeo generals lost their morale.

“Given almost no chance of winning, it is better to hand over some land and make peace with the enemy”

However, there was one man who was against this stance. Goryeo General ‘Seo Hui’ “We cannot give up the land that our ancestors protected with their blood!” Seo Hui went to the Khitan camp by himself to negotiate with General Xiao Sunning. Xiao Sunning: Goryeo originated from Silla. Goguryeo’s land belongs to us, but Goryeo invaded our land.

Seo Hui: Goryeo is the successor of Goguryeo. That is why we named our nation Goryeo, and founded our capital in Pyongyang.

“Your capital Dongjing was Goguryeo’s territory. But, is it right to say that the Khitans invaded Goryeo?”

Seo Hui logically refuted their claim that Goguryeo’s land belonged to the Khitans. His logical refutation made the Khitan army retreat from Goryeo. It should all be credited to one diplomat, Seo Hui. He even expanded their territory by gaining six garrison settlements east of the Amnokgang River.His diplomacy transformed a crisis of territorial loss into an opportunity for territorial expansion.

Have you heard of the Northeast Project?

Northeast Project:
China’s research project on Northeast Asia, the purpose of which was to incorporate the histories of every region within today’s Chinese borders into Chinese history

This project was conducted under the supervision of the Chinese government from 2002 to 2007. It claims ‘the history of Goguryeo’ as a part of Chinese history. For this project, 15 million yuan (US $ 2.4 million) was provided as funding for the sole purpose of research. China’s distorted logic is more widely known than Korea’s accurate 5000 years of history.

Have you heard these screams?

They are the painful screams of overseas Koreans, shocked by the numerous cases of distorted Korean history.  

“Korean history is almost invisible in world history textbooks”

Hello, I am a student in an overseas international school. While going to school in a foreign country, I realize that many foreigners don’t know about Korea. Some time ago, I told my foreign friends that I would like to major in Korean history. 

“Did you say Korean history? Is there anything to learn about? It was just part of Chinese history and then Japanese history. What else can you learn?”

What can we do, if 5000 years of Korean history just disappears from all the textbooks around the world?Korean territory is indicated as Chinese on a Chinese historical map in a famous museum. I am a high school student. I recently took a trip to America.

The Minneapolis Institute of Arts displays a Chinese Yuan Dynasty map that marks the entire Korean peninsula as a Chinese territory. 

International encyclopedia websites
International world history websites
International library websites

There are a lot of Chinese ancient history maps that mark the Korean peninsula as Chinese.
How can we fix the inaccuracies on maps?

“A famous textbook contains a historical map that shows Korea as a Chinese territory!”
 
Oxford University Press publishes textbooks in over 50 countries. This renowned publisher indicates either a part or the whole area of Korea as a Chinese territory in their textbooks. There are numerous world history textbooks that indicate the Korean peninsula as a Chinese territory. Textbooks are supposed to represent accurate facts, but many misrepresent Korea as a part of China.

Is it possibly the ongoing influence of China’s Northeast Project?
It is obvious that the project had political purposes.

“Korea’s first kingdom was Silla?”

A world history textbook for the SAT says that Korea’s first kingdom was Silla. The first Korean state, Silla which formed during the 500s C.E., was a close ally of Tang China, and collapsed when the Tang fell. – How to Prepare for the AP World History (Publisher: Barron’s, 2007)

Do you think this logic is in line with China’s Northeast Project?

I am afraid that American students think that Goguryeo is a part of Chinese history. It will be a serious problem because they will be the future leaders of the United States.

Silla, Balhae = Chinese vassal states?
- Britannica Encyclopedia

I am studying in the U.K. I think China’s historical distortions have spread throughout the world. The Britannica is recognized as the most credible encyclopedia. The Britannica Online Encyclopedia describes Silla and Balhae as tributary states of Tang China. Among many other states that had trade relationships with China, only Silla and Balhae are indicated as China’s tributary states. Balhae is described as “Chinese Pohai”, instead of being as an independent state. This description leaves the impression that Balhae was a tributary state to or a local government of China.

It shows that even internationally-known encyclopedias have accepted the logic of the Northeast Project. Is it an indication that China is shaping international opinions in order to incorporate Korea’s Goguryeo history into Chinese history?

American government organizations:
Korean history is of a shrimp amongst whales?

I am studying in America.
I am shocked by the descriptions of Korean history on the websites of American government entities, such as the Army Headquarters, the Department of State, and the Department of Defense.

They describe Japan’s invasion of Korea and the colonial period in the late 19th century as the following. 

“Throughout its history, Korea has been invaded, annexed, colonized and occupied by a variety of other countries.  There is a Korean proverb that says a shrimp is crushed in a battle between whales.”– US Department of Defense

American government officials have immense power in international politics. Should we just let them believe that Korea was a tributary state of China? I am afraid that distorted perceptions about Korea may have negative consequences. Widespread misperceptions about Korea may influence international relations and policies in the future. 

“Pyongyang was a Chinese colony for 2000 years?”

During my education abroad, I wanted to introduce Korean history to my foreign friends, so I searched about it online. While clicking into several websites from a famous portal site, I was shocked. 

American Yahoo
www.yourdictionary.com
www.dictionary.com
www.bartleby.com

Famous encyclopedias and portal sites

“Pyongyang was an important cultural center and Chinese colony after 108 B.C., later fell to the Japanese”

These websites are spreading distorted Korean history to students around the world. Let’s say it is true that Goguryeo’s capital Pyongyang was a Chinese colony for 2000 years. Then, doesn’t it justify the logic that Goguryeo was also a Chinese colony? I am afraid that China’s Northeast Project has already influenced international opinions. 

“Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla were all Chinese colonies?”

British Yahoo and many other famous websites describe the Korean kingdoms of Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla as Chinese colonies. They introduce Korean history as if it started from the Unified Silla Period after eliminating the Three Kingdoms Period. I fear that the results of China’s Northeast Project are rapidly spreading around the world.

How surprising it is that so many famous foreign websites introduce Korea’s three ancient kingdoms as Chinese colonies! Is it indicative of China’s deliberate efforts to incorporate Goguryeo history into Chinese history?

Korean overseas students reported nearly 10,000 cases of distorted Korean history to VANK.

Dokdo issue
East Sea issue
Northeast Project

And
Many other errors about Korean history

VANK has fought against these distortions and has promoted accurate Korean history for the last 10 years. However, there are still many distorted facts about Korean history around the world.

Now, you will act with VANK. With VANK, you will use more careful and peaceful methods than those of China’s Northeast Project. Peacefully but effectively, you will correct distorted Korean history.

VANK has launched the 21st century Seo Hui Project. This project aims to find and educate civil diplomats, who will raise awareness of the negative consequences of China’s historical distortion. China’s historical distortion is likely to harm its friendly relations with other Asian countries. Successors of Seo Hui will transform this crisis of the loss of Korean history into another opportunity.

The successors are you, young Koreans!

Voluntary Agency Network of Korea (VANK) is waiting for young Koreans, who want to become the 21st century’s Seo Hui and fight against China’s distortion of history.

Korea’s crisis of the loss of its history is also an opportunity to expand Korean history.

Today, a new history begins at the place where you stand now.
You will be the new generation of General Seo Hui.

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