History foundation highlights ‘objective perspective’

Park Ji-hang, president of the Northeast Asian History Foundation, speaks during a press conference at the foundation’s headquarters in Seoul on Tuesday. (Choi Si-young/The Korea Hearld)

A South Korean state-run foundation launched to set the record straight on shared histories with neighbors said it will work on instilling an “objective and future-oriented” perspective on history.

At a press conference Tuesday, Park Ji-hang, president of the Northeast Asian History Foundation, said such efforts will potentially help the country win over the international community when its vital national interests are at stake. Park did not elaborate on the specifics.

“We are already a country that can show what the future looks like, and the international community is cognizant of that,” Park said. “So we need a perspective on history that corresponds to that.”

“We have to move beyond ‘self-pity,’” Park added.

Park’s comment could anger members of the public who demand Japan apologize for what they say are wartime wrongs that have not been fully recognized. Whether the Japanese government has delivered the required apology and compensation for forced labor and military sexual slavery during World War II remains contentious.

Park was named to the three-year post by President Yoon Suk Yeol in January, the appointment coming amid a push by the Yoon administration for tighter ties with Japan -- an increasingly important security partner for South Korea as it tries to fend off nuclear threats from North Korea.

In a March 2023 deal, the Yoon administration decided to compensate Korean victims of forced laborers with funds raised by Korean businesses following Japanese opposition to accepting a Korean court ruling mandating Japanese companies to do so. Criticism that the conservative leader was “too soft” on Japan still rages on with the administration officials reiterating looking toward “future-oriented” ties.

At the Tuesday conference, Park also said her foundation would double down on promoting research on history and its latest findings. Park stressed online platforms will be instrumental in familiarizing the public with the foundation’s works.

A parallel push will follow to expand the foundation’s global presence, “like the Hoover Institution and Brookings Institution,” Park said of the global reach and impact under consideration, citing prominent US think tanks.

By Choi Si-young(siyoungchoi@heraldcorp.com)