[KS] Korean Borders

[Frank Hoffmann]

Hello Emanuel:

Long time no see. Good to hear from you this way!

There maybe many such articles, but some I read -- which I can 
recommend -- where published in the 1970s in the South Korean 
historical journal _Paeksan hakpo_. Many of the articles in this 
journal where concerned with exactly these issues, and there are very 
useful reproductions of maps and historical documents that relate to 
border issues, often in original Chinese with Korean translation. 
There are also reprints and translations of the Japanese Chosén 
Government-General expedition reports (which in itself include lots 
of historical documents) -- see e.g. the 1915 report in _Paeksan 
hakpo_, No. 9 (Dec. 1970).

In general, up to the late 18th century the border had been more 
somewhat of a loose concept between China and Korea. Since then the 
Chinese had send a couple of fact-finding missions to the Paektu area 
as well as to the Yalu river because of the activities of Korean 
bandits there (also well described in some of the early Western 
travel reports). Again, you find a lot of good documentation about 
all this in _Paeksan hakpo_.

The early Prussian Sinologist and geographer Ferdinand Freiherr von 
Richthofen who visited the Korean-Manchuria border in 1869 describes 
the "Korea Gate" (Gaolimen) at the Yalu River as a well guarded place 
-- not so different from today's U.S.-Mexican or South-North Korean 
border posts -);  The 18th century conflicts had actually resulted in 
a "100 li wide, one day's journey," unpopulated DMZ along that Yalu 
-- with capital punishment for whoever would dare to settle there. 
While the border along the Yalu had been drawn during the late 18th 
century more clearly, the area from the Paektu to the east continued 
to be less clearly mapped out, mostly because there was not much of a 
population in that area until into the 19th century. In any case, the 
borderline was from at least the 16th century onwards (but likely 
earlier) very close to today's Chinese-Korean border.

Best,
Frank




>Dear Associates,
>
>
>I would like to take on this issue of the Chinese-Korean border seriously.
>What I would like first of all is a historical record of all changes and
>modifications in the borders between China, Manchuria (Manchuguo), Korea
>(North and South) and Russia. Between the 15th century and the present. The
>question is, 1) what are the concrete examples of changes in the borders
>between the Ming dynasty and the present and what was the
>historical/political context for each. 2) What possible claims could be made
>based upon the various changes by China or Korea respectively. 3) How does
>Manchuria as an separate, or pseudo-separate, political entity complicate
>the issue of borders. 4) Where exactly are the borders of Kokugyo.
>
>It would be great to find an article or two dealing specificially with this
>issue, and actual maps that I can show people to illustrate each change,
>whether related to Ming and Manchu policies, the Qing dynasty, Republican
>and Japanese interactions, Russian, PRC and North Korean agreements.
>
>
>Thanks,
>
>
>Emanuel


-- 
______________________________________________________
Frank Hoffmann
http://KoreaWeb.ws  *  Fax: (415) 727-4792