On September 19, 2009 (Saturday), the Northeast Asian History Foundation (NAHF) and the Korea-Japan Cultural Foundation (KJCF) will jointly host the 2009 Korea-Japan International Symposium at the Grand Conference Hall of Ocean Resort in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province, Korea.

Under the general theme of “Japanese Invasion of Joseon 1592-1598 and Transformation of the East Asian World,” the symposium consists of three sessions and a general discussion; a total of six presentations and panel discussions are planned during the sessions.

Drawing keen attention is the keynote lecture by Professor Kitajima Manji of Kyoritsu Women’s University, who does not just synthesize the latest research trends on the Japanese Invasion of Joseon from Japanese perspective but also takes a close look at various types of people who were covered in Nanjung Ilgi: The War Diary of Admiral Yi Sun-Sin but have been rarely studied so far—pojakin (residents of southern coastal areas in Korea) and hangwae (Japanese soldiers who surrendered to Korea) to name just a few.

An expert in Sino-Korean ties, Professor Han Myung-gi of Myongji University brought up a new argument that the international standings of Japan and the Jurchens, which were long perceived as “underdogs” and “barbarians” lagging behind Joseon, started to change following the Japanese Invasion of Joseon in comparison to the pre-invasion, Ming-centric world order of Northeast Asia. The invasion served as an opportunity for the two “barbarian” countries to emerge as strong powers, while Ming, the “leader of the Chinese-oriented world order,” lost its face and Joseon ended up bound to the ideology of Jaejojieun (gratitude and indebtedness to the Chinese kingdom that saved Joseon on the verge of collapse), the professor explained.

Professor Sohn Seung-cheul of Kangwon National University contributed a new perspective on the damages that Japanese soldiers did to Korean people during the Japanese Invasion of Joseon. A wide array of atrocities committed by Japanese forces during the invasion were illustrated in Dongguk Sinsok Samgang Haengsildo, a book published in the later years of the Joseon dynasty, further cementing Koreans’ grudge and animosity toward the Japanese as unforgettable memories passed on to later generations. This perception, the professor claims, translated into the stance of Waeyangilcheron (Japan and Western countries as one single force) in the late 19th century, hindering the modernization of Joseon.