A Herman Ottó Múzeum Évkönyve 32. Kunt Ernő emlékére. (1994)

TANULMÁNYOK - KI-DONG LEE: A koreai nép és nemzeti kialakulása

Korea is a country which has developed within the state boundary of the Korean peninsula. Since prehistoric times, there have been periodic waves of migration of the far ranging Altaic speaking nomads from Manchuria. Upon reaching Korea, they were locked up inside the geographic confines of the peninsula and were rapidly integrated into the Korean culture and people. Therefore, the geographic factor had contributed to the promt formation of a unified people of Korea. The Silla dynasty was replaced by the Koryo dynasty in the beginning of the tenth century, and the Yi dynasty took over the rein of power from the Koryo in 1392. Although there have been a series of turn over of power as well as change of ruling classes, the people as a whole remain the same and the national boundary stayed unchanged for about 1,300 years since the unification of the country by the Silla. This is a unique feature of the Korean history. Throughout the history Korea has been surrounded by jingoistic and war like people, and that it has not only served as crossroad of cultural influences but also military pressures from China, Japan and the areas to the north. While the foreign aggressions have wreaked havoc upon the land and people of Korea from time to time, the people became fully conscientios of the national identity as they resisting to such repeated invasions. In a way, Korea has thrived in the national adversities and it developed the national distinctiveness and firm identity early while overcoming all kinds of national trials and hardships. 183