"The Front and Behind the Scenes of Challenges and Responses for the Pinnacle of Power"... 'The History of Purges'

The History of Purges - Korean History Edition
Author Choi Kyung-sik

A book themed around power and ‘purges’ has been released. The History of Purges contains major records of purges that occurred over 1,300 years in Korea. It covers ten historical scenes, from the purge of the Jingol aristocracy by King Sinmun of the ancient Unified Silla to the purge of the Hanahoe by Kim Young-sam’s civilian government.

The author explains, “Purges were mainly used as a means to strengthen power during historical turning points,” adding, “The results shaped not only the contemporary era but also subsequent history.”

The book vividly depicts the struggles to seize and maintain power from multiple perspectives with detailed writing. Therefore, readers can gain a three-dimensional understanding of the political and social background, events, and key figures of the time. Additionally, from the viewpoint that ‘history repeats itself,’ the contents of the book can be used to reflect on current political situations.

Oh Young-geol, a professor at Seoul National University School of Law, praised the book in a recommendation, saying, “The History of Purges is engaging and concise,” and “It captures the core in a way that is accessible to the general public.” He added, “History repeats itself, and knowing the history of purges allows one to see yesterday’s and today’s political realities in a multidimensional way.”

The author, Choi Kyung-sik, is a reporter for Kukmin Ilbo. His previous work includes The History of Political Upheavals.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.