Presidential Office: "Institutions researching history should have clear positions"
Presidential Office: "The question was whether researchers have established their perspectives through research"
Opposition parties continue criticism over mention of "Hwandangogi"
Lee Junseok criticizes, "Is The Lord of the Rings history too?"
The Office of the President explained that President Lee Jaemyung's mention of "Hwandangogi" during a briefing from the Northeast Asian History Foundation on December 12 was intended to address ongoing controversies and to emphasize that institutions researching history should have their own clear positions. The office further stressed that President Lee has never resolved issues by avoiding them when problems arise.
Kim Namjun, spokesperson for the Office of the President, gave this response during a briefing at the Yongsan presidential office on December 14, when asked about the background behind President Lee's mention of "Hwandangogi" and the resulting controversy. "Hwandangogi" is a book said to cover the era of Dangun Gojoseon, reportedly authored by Gye Yeonsu in 1911. While the majority of historians regard it as a "forgery," there are some who consider it genuine history and conduct research on it.
Kim further explained, "The perspective from which one views history is important, and this can lead to differences in opinion. The president was asking whether historical researchers have established their own historical perspectives through research. This reflects a variety of critical viewpoints, and the intention was to encourage researchers to fulfill their roles under a clear research philosophy."
Amid President Lee's mention of "Hwandangogi," opposition parties continued their criticism over the weekend. Kim Eunhye, a lawmaker from the People Power Party, stated, "Calling 'Hwandangogi' a matter of perspective is like claiming Snow White was a real person. While the president is free to believe whatever he wants, it is dangerous to impose personal convictions on others."
Lee Junseok, leader of the Reform New Party, also criticized on Facebook, saying, "After a president who believes in election fraud, we now have a president who accepts 'Hwandangogi.' This is concerning for the Republic of Korea. Isn't 'Hwandangogi' just a text? If 'Hwandangogi' is history, then so is The Lord of the Rings."
In response, spokesperson Kim issued a separate statement after the briefing, clarifying, "President Lee's remarks regarding 'Hwandangogi' during the Northeast Asian History Foundation's briefing were not an endorsement of these claims, nor did he instruct any research or review on the matter."
Previously, on December 12, President Lee asked Park Jihyang, Chairperson of the Northeast Asian History Foundation, "There is some controversy over 'Hwanppa' (supporters of Hwandangogi) regarding history education, isn't there? Does the foundation not conduct research on ancient history?" When Chairperson Park replied, "The theories of professional researchers are much more convincing," President Lee responded, "It seems there is a fundamental difference in perspectives and positions from which to view history. It is something to ponder," and concluded the briefing.
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