[KS] Koguryo part of China?

[sem.ver at btinternet.com]

Dear list,

For some time now I've been hearing about recent attempts by Chinese historians to make the case that Koguryo was a part of China, ie. that its history should be seen as an integral part of the history of the Chinese 'nation'. I haven't paid too much attention to this, as I imagine there is considerable pressure on academics in China to toe the official line of an indivisible China, which forces them to see everything what happened on what is now Chinese territory as part of Chinese history.

However, an article I read today on AsiaTimes online (http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Korea/EL23Dg01.html0) made me realize how far these attempts at rewriting history are going. According to the article, the Koguryo tombs in Ji'an are scheduled to be designated a Unesco World Heritage site next June. While this is a good thing, the article suggests that they will be declared part of the Chinese cultural heritage. Hopefully the people at Unesco will present the tombs for what they are, remnants of the Koguryo kingdom which now happen to lie in China, and refrain from calling them 'Chinese'. Does anyone know what exactly the Unesco plans are regarding the Koguryo tombs in China? What is written about Koguryo history in China is one thing, but if this view somehow gets endorsed by a respected international body, it will be difficult to undo the damage...

best wishes for X-mas all the same,

Sem Vermeersch