Dear ______.
( all of academics
and researchers, UNESCO’s World Cultural Heritage Committee )
I am a student and a member of VANK
living in South Korea. VANK is a non-governmental organization
and also a voluntary organization. VANK consists of
elementary, middle and high school students who provide
correct information about Korea to international textbook
publishing companies and publishers.
In particular, I would like to let you know about
the Chinese scheme to alter the history of Goguryeo
(BC 37-AD 668), a Korean kingdom with a vast territory
ranging from the northern part of the peninsula to Manchuria,
into that of a Chinese regional kingdom.
The Chinese government launched the project in
February 2002, the Northeast Asian Project, to study
the history of the area northeast of ancient China under
the auspices of its social and scientific academy with
a budget of 3 trillion won, US$2 billion, igniting fears
that it was trying to strengthen its political influence
in Northeast Asia.
Through the project, China is seeking to incorporate
the ancient Korean kingdom into a Chinese historical
timeline, even claiming that the people of Goguryeo
originated from the Chinese ``han’’ tribe.
Consequently, China is trying to rob 700 years of Korean
history, which could seriously damage Korea’s roots
and heritage.
Throughout 5,000 history of Korea, Goguryeo is meaningful,
and Significant to all Korean.
A leading power during the Three Kingdoms period, Goguryeo
occupied the present territory of North Korea and also
held sway over the vast Manchurian region for some 700
years until the late 7th century AD. By the 4th century,
Goguryeo had been firmly established as a powerful kingdom
and frequently clashed with China, while successfully
containing its southern rivals
When China obstructed a North Korean effort to put Goguryeo
tombs on the list of the United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)’s World
Cultural Heritage, the Chinese government expressed
its scheme to uproot the existence of Korean history
within its current borders in July 2003
Furthermore, the Chinese academics and researchers hope
to have the Goguryeo tomb murals in Ji'an declared a
World Heritage Site during a UNESCO meeting in Suzhou
next June 2004, preparing an enormous amount of data
to support its case.
The seriousness of the situation lies in the fact that
the Chinese government is taking the initiative in distorting
history, making its political intentions clear. It seems
obvious that the Chinese scheme under the name of the
"Northeast Asia Project" is aimed at providing
historical backup to Beijing's political concerns over
the potential instability among the Korean-Chinese following
Korean unification. The increasing number of North Korean
defectors crossing the porous border into China in recent
years is already causing problems to Chinese security
and diplomatic authorities.
If you studied world history you would see how serious
problems could arise when a government take the initiative
in distorting history, making its political intentions.
So We would like to let all of academics and
researchers know about the Chinese scheme to cancel
its plans to incorporate Korea' Goguryeo into china'
history.
We, VANK , warn the Chinese academics
and researchers that the the Northeast Asian Project
would pose a great obstacle to amicable relations between
all the family of Asia and China in the 21st century.
If you plan to study about Goguryeo between Korea
and China or if you plan to recommand our movement to
your colleague,
companion, and history scholar,
please contact to VANK.
We have detailed educational and comprehensive data
regarding Korean Goguryeo history and culture, as well
as digital pictures, which are all collected by VANK
members (10,000 elementary, middle and high school voluntary
student members). And we can provide you with this information
willingly by post or internet without any cost.
※ → Korea history
http://www.prkorea.com/history/history.html
※ → Korean Goguryeo history
http://www.prkorea.com/history/history1.html
※ → Truth in scholarship
http://www.prkorea.com/english/textbook/maintruth.html
VANK’s desires are that students all
over the world can experience correct Korean history
and culture by our voluntary effort, taking this opportunity
and then sharing dreams and friendship with the rest
of the world.
Sincerely yours.
* Contact to VANK
605 ho Immanuel Building 372-49, 3-dong
Sindang Jung-gu Seoul, S.KOREA
TEL. 82-2-2237-7407 FAX. 82-2-2237-7409
email: textbook@prkorea.org
http://www.prkorea.org
"Though it is the smallest
of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the
largest of garden plants and becomes a tree,
so that the birds of the air come and perch in
its branches." - [Matthew] -
VANK stands for - ‘Voluntary Agency
Network of Korea’, a civilian international exchange
association in Korea. We work for the promotion of Korea's
image all over the world by Internet. VANK was established
in 1999 by volunteers, and now has over 12,000 members.
Using email or internet we serve as cyber travel guides
to overseas Koreans and foreigners so that they can
understand Korean culture and language better, and at
the same time we hope we build international friendships.
VANK is a great chance for those who are interested
in Korean language, arts, cultural education, history,
geography, social studies, sciences to learn about our
country, and we also welcome with open arms anyone just
wanting to make Korean friends!
(1) reference
1) Their claim that the East Sea has
some historical precedent worked, as some major book
and map publishers, educational web sites and other
reference materials now include the East Sea name along
with the Sea of Japan. - worldatlas.com-
http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/asia/eastsea.htm
2) We provide Korean pictures to the
Photoatlas.com, you can see the pictures at this site
: http://photoatlas.com/pics/pictures_of_korea.html
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