The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Family of 5 found dead in 3 separate locations

  • 3

    All-Korean showdowns set up on 1st day of medal race

  • 5

    Opposition party leader ends 24-day hunger strike for treatment

  • 7

    Exhibition for soldiers highlights North Korea's human rights abuses

  • 9

    Sil-A overcomes stage fright, and them some

  • 11

    Historic NASA asteroid mission set for perilous return

  • 13

    Hangzhou Asian Games open after COVID-enforced delay

  • 15

    Top diplomats of Korea, Iran discuss bilateral ties following frozen funds transfer

  • 17

    Korea's top-ranked Go player wants to capitalize on rare chance

  • 19

    EU does not want to decouple from China but must protect itself: EU trade chief

  • 2

    Xi says he will seriously consider visit to South Korea: official

  • 4

    Understanding Korean Modernization

  • 6

    Bears of Joseon part 1: Fanciful tales and deadly claws

  • 8

    US finalizes national security 'guardrails' for CHIPS funding

  • 10

    PM departs for China for Asian Games, meeting with Xi

  • 12

    Allies vow stern measures against Russia-NK arms deal

  • 14

    Korea looking to hit ground running on 1st day of medal events

  • 16

    League of Legends, other esports join Asian Games in competition for first time

  • 18

    Yoon returns home from New York trip

  • 20

    PHOTOSOpening ceremony of 19th Hangzhou Asian Games

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
Opinion
  • Yun Byung-se
  • Kim Won-soo
  • Ahn Ho-young
  • Kim Sang-woo
  • Lee Kyung-hwa
  • Mitch Shin
  • Peter S. Kim
  • Daniel Shin
  • Jeon Su-mi
  • Jang Daul
  • Song Kyung-jin
  • Park Jung-won
  • Cho Hee-kyoung
  • Park Chong-hoon
  • Kim Sung-woo
  • Donald Kirk
  • John Burton
  • Robert D. Atkinson
  • Mark Peterson
  • Eugene Lee
  • Rushan Ziatdinov
  • Lee Jong-eun
  • Chyung Eun-ju and Joel Cho
  • Bernhard J. Seliger
  • Imran Khalid
  • Troy Stangarone
  • Jason Lim
  • Casey Lartigue, Jr.
  • Bernard Rowan
  • Steven L. Shields
  • Deauwand Myers
  • John J. Metzler
  • Andrew Hammond
  • Sandip Kumar Mishra
Mon, September 25, 2023 | 04:31
Mark Peterson
Korea's peaceful history
Posted : 2020-02-14 17:29
Updated : 2020-02-14 17:59
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
By Mark Peterson

In my first articles for The Korea Times, over a year ago, I wrote about how my own views of Korean history are different from the orthodox history taught in Korea ― I described myself as a frog outside the well.

I'm pleased to report that many of my views are receiving a welcome reception. I was fearful that my presentation of Korean history would be discarded, out of hand, because I've seen scholars and graduate students attack those who present new or unorthodox ideas. And I've had some criticisms, as well ― I guess we all have. But largely, my views are starting to win acceptance by a broad reach of Korean citizens.

I am thinking of the responses my work has received on my YouTube channel. The majority of responses to my YouTube channel are positive and agree with me, and encourage me to continue to make my presentations. This has been greatly encouraging because I've seen scholars and students criticized severely for unorthodox ideas.

In fact, I think there is a kind of "unhealthy oppressive orthodoxy" in Korean historical circles these days. Look at how the Seoul National University history department is being criticized for things one of their key professors did and said during the Japanese era.

I am greatly encouraged to continue my presentations particularly about Korea's "peaceful history" ― I put the phrase in quotation marks because Korea has certainly has had its share of wars and turmoil. But I'm suggesting we don't need to let the war motif overwhelm the peace motif. This is especially true if we look at Korea after the Three Kingdoms period and before the 20th century. Yes, excluding those two bookends is excluding a lot, but still, there are so many aspects of the peaceful tradition of Korea that dominate from the Silla Unification (668) until the end of the 20th century ― nearly 1,200 years.

Martina Deuchler and other prominent scholars have commented on the unbroken class of aristocracy that has controlled Korea for 1,500 years ― from the late Three Kingdoms period to the present day. This idea is reinforced in the appearance of surnames in Korea; 21 percent of the population today are named Kim. This is an exceptional image. And it's not just Kim ― 15 percent are Yi (Lee), and 9 percent are Pak (Park). Any of these three ― all names of past royalty ― would be a dominating surname group in most countries of the world.

In fact, the number 10 name, Shin, and even the number 20 name, Hong, has a large enough percentage of the population to be a dominant surname in most other countries. There is a larger percentage of Hong in Korea than Sato in Japan, and Sato is the most common surname in Japan. The Korean surnames with the largest percentage of population are all names that originated in the Silla Kingdom. Silla is alive and well in Korea today.

What I intend to do here is to present my ideas on "peaceful Korea" as they have developed in the last year through writing for this column and my YouTube page, "Frog Outside the Well". I have a "Top Ten" list of factors that argue for the view of Korea as a peaceful country ― actually any one of these factors is solid evidence ― but all 10 of them, I think, is overwhelmingly convincing that Korea has one of the most peaceful traditions of all the nations of the world.

This is not to say they have had no war ― they've had their share of war ― but my position is we should not ignore the peace factors. Historiography likes war. It's interesting; it attracts ink. Peace is boring, even if it's a preferable thing.

On the Top Ten list are:
1. The longest dynasties in the world (other countries have one or two; Korea has seven at 500 years)
2. Smooth transitions between dynasties
3. Relatively few invasions
4. Has never invaded another country
5. The longest unchanged border in the world
6. Royal tombs not plundered
7. Seonbi culture, not samurai culture
8. Balance of civilian and military control
9. Royal control of the court (not military or eunuchs)
10. Few surnames, a symbol of long-running aristocracy

Over the next few weeks, I'm going to explain how I perceive these factors that describe the peaceful traditions of Korea. Again, any one of these factors makes one cock his head to the side and say this doesn't fit with a war-torn, war-like country. As a whole, they describe a history dominated by peace and civil culture. That is Korea!


Mark Peterson (markpeterson@byu.edu) is professor emeritus of Korean, Asian and Near Eastern languages at Brigham Young University in Utah.


 
miguel
Top 10 Stories
1Korea, Saudi Arabia celebrate 93rd Saudi National Day, vow stronger cooperation Korea, Saudi Arabia celebrate 93rd Saudi National Day, vow stronger cooperation
2Samsung, SK relieved by revised chip restrictions on China Samsung, SK relieved by revised chip restrictions on China
3Seoul, Beijing try to mend fences as Russia and N. Korea grow closerSeoul, Beijing try to mend fences as Russia and N. Korea grow closer
4Mirae Asset Global Investments' AUM reaches $219 bil. Mirae Asset Global Investments' AUM reaches $219 bil.
5Bears of Joseon part 2: Behind bars Bears of Joseon part 2: Behind bars
6S. Korea to stage massive military parade as tensions with North remain highS. Korea to stage massive military parade as tensions with North remain high
7JTI Korea joins Jongno clean-up JTI Korea joins Jongno clean-up
8Patients, doctors at loggerheads as operating room CCTV footage made mandatoryPatients, doctors at loggerheads as operating room CCTV footage made mandatory
9Low growth becomes new normal for Korean economy Low growth becomes new normal for Korean economy
10CKD Kochon Foundation awards Ukraine health authorities for treating tuberculosis patients amid raging war CKD Kochon Foundation awards Ukraine health authorities for treating tuberculosis patients amid raging war
Top 5 Entertainment News
1[INTERVIEW] Yim Si-wan went extra mile to portray legendary athlete in 'Road to Boston' INTERVIEWYim Si-wan went extra mile to portray legendary athlete in 'Road to Boston'
2TEMPEST gears up to showcase fiery passion TEMPEST gears up to showcase fiery passion
3BLACKPINK's contract renewal still in limbo BLACKPINK's contract renewal still in limbo
4[INTERVIEW] Virtual K-pop group MAVE: is more than just pretty pixels INTERVIEWVirtual K-pop group MAVE: is more than just pretty pixels
5Hebrew University students travel to Korea to explore musical landscape Hebrew University students travel to Korea to explore musical landscape
DARKROOM
  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group