We Have Narrowed the Psychological Distance Between Goguryo and Dokdo

Participating students from China are fifth- and sixth-graders from Shanghai’s Jing-yei Junior High School, whose participation was arranged by the Shanghai Academy of Social Science. From Japan, participating students were selected by academic, civic groups in Tokyo and Kyoto who have been interacting with the Civilian Movement for Correcting Distorted Textbooks.

However, enjoying harmony between them was not as easy as it was to say in words. It is because they were also affected by the conflicts between the three countries caused by history textbook distortions by Japan, China’s “Northeast Asia Project,” as well as “2004 Asian Cup Soccer.”

Such conflicts were displayed during a discussion session held in an assembly hall in the Choong-ang High School at Gye-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul on Wednesday.

In particular, Chinese students’ sentiment toward Japan was very antagonistic. Okami Naho, a second grade student in the Nishimaizro School in Kyoto, said, “When Chinese students blamed Japan directly to me, I felt a little embarrassed. However, I appreciated it when Korean students told me that “it is not the fault of you people here.”

Korean students showed very sensitive responses toward the Goguryo history distortion made by China, reflecting the current atmosphere in Korea.

Some of the Korean students suggested a debate, saying, “Let’s have a separate discussion on the issue.” Chinese students, however, did not make responses showing that they were aware of the recent atmosphere. Teachers also held students back from engaging in discussions on this issue.

Lee Ga-yei, 17, a second grade student in the Shiji School in Daegu, said, “One Chinese friend said that she knew that Goguryo history belongs to Korea, but she has to be careful when mentioning historical issues.”

Nonetheless, adolescents were different from adults. Japanese students, when they visited the “House for Sharing” in Gwangju, Gyonggi Province on Tuesday, shed tears and kneeled down in front of old Korean women who were comfort women for the Japanese army, saying, “We want to apologize instead.”

Chinese students, when they visited the Mt. Dora observation tower in Paju, Gyonggi Province, the utmost northern observation tower, on Thursday, told Korean students that “we will also help for the unification of the South and the North.”

Ju Yeorin, 17, a fifth grade student in Jing-yei Junior High School, said, “Although the three countries are having difficulties now because of different opinions on Goguryo, Gando, and Dokdo, I believe that all will be resolved favorably at the end.”

The Civilian Movement for Correcting Distorted Textbooks has been preparing a book titled “The Auxiliary Textbook of Shared History of Korea, China, and Japan” for several years. This textbook will be published in April of next year simultaneously in all three countries.

This textbook, written by professors, historians and school teachers from the three countries, will reduce the “distortions” of history as much as possible without biased historical views of their own.

The organization evaluated that this history camp was an opportunity to further increase our shared efforts to correct history distortions from the adolescents’ point of view.

Kim Sook-jin, 42, secretary general of the organization, said, “There are significant differences in history education in each country. We often have different understandings of same events. We should carefully approach this problem by broadening our understanding of each other for now.”

Kim Min-sung (senior majoring Biomaterial Science and Technology at the Korea University), Dong-A Ilbo student intern, participated in collecting the materials for this article.

Yang-Hwan Jung ray@donga.com