Interestingly, the article also includes a few Korean historians who criticize both the Chinese historians and some of the Korean ones for the fault of “presentism.” This is a flawed paradigm for history that defines national history based upon one’s current territory — according to Lim Ji-hyun, of Hanyang University.

This label doesn’t quite fit Korea’s own way of defining its national history, it seems to me, since Korea’s current borders don’t include Goguryeo. I think, rather, that Korea is defining its national history based upon the greatest geographical extent of political control ever held, historically, by those who were at least arguably Korean.

I’m keeping an eye on these developments because they are potentially disruptive, possibly destabilizing — and because I suspect that conflict with China over its imperialism will make American ‘imperialism’ look far more benign. America might even begin to look like a friend again. The story will be interesting as it unfolds. I hope that we don’t end up living in interesting times.

Jeffery Hodges