Naju City to Host 'Korea-France Academic Forum' on the 21st

Naju City in Jeollanam-do will hold a 'Korea-France Academic Forum' under the theme 'The First Encounter between Naju and France' at 2 p.m. on the 21st in the city hall's main conference room.

According to the city on the 14th, this academic forum is expected to change the narrative of the diplomatic history between Korea and France as previously known and become an opportunity to write a new history.

The first Korean ceramic Onggi jug (left) and the Jeonghyeon Lee Naju magistrate's commemorative stele (right) housed at the National S?vres Porcelain Museum in France.
[Photo by Naju City]

The official first encounter between Korea and France was neither the Byeonginyangyo nor the Joseon-France Treaty of Amity and Commerce.

Until now, the first encounter between the two countries has been known as the 'Byeonginyangyo' incident in 1866, when France attacked Ganghwado Island in Joseon with a fleet, using the execution of a French priest as a pretext.

After Heungseon Daewongun, who had consistently pursued a policy of isolation, stepped down and King Gojong began his personal rule, the two countries signed the 'Joseon-France Treaty of Amity and Commerce' in 1886.

However, it became a hot topic when a French professor revealed that Korea (Joseon) and France had their first diplomatic encounter in 1851, 15 years before the Byeonginyangyo and 35 years before the Joseon-France Treaty of Amity and Commerce.

According to Professor Pierre Emmanuel Hu of Paris 7 University in France, who studies Korean studies, in 1851, the French whaling ship Narval ran aground near the coast of Jeollanam-do, and about 20 crew members drifted and arrived at Bigeumdo Island.

Upon hearing the unfortunate news, Charles de Montigny, the French consul stationed in Shanghai, China, visited Bigeumdo to rescue the crew, but contrary to concerns, the crew were safely staying under the protection of the Joseon people.

At that time, Bigeumdo (Sinan County) belonged to the Naju Islands under the jurisdiction of Naju-mok, which oversaw the Jeollanam-do area.

On May 2, 1851, the day before his return, Consul Montigny held a commemorative dinner with Lee Jeong-hyun, the magistrate of Naju-mok, to express gratitude for Joseon's humanitarianism and friendship in taking good care of the French crew.

At this dinner, Magistrate Lee Jeong-hyun and Consul Montigny shared traditional Korean liquor and French champagne. After the dinner, Consul Montigny took three earthenware bottles of liquor back to France and donated them to the S?vres National Ceramics Museum.

These earthenware liquor bottles are currently preserved as the first Korean artifact in the museum.

This incident remains a historic record showing that the first exchange between Korea and France began peacefully and amicably on a humanitarian level.

The Embassy of the Republic of Korea in France designated May 2 as a day symbolizing the friendship between Korea and France and held a commemorative event for the first time this year at the S?vres National Ceramics Museum in Paris. The museum specially exhibited the earthenware liquor bottles containing traditional Korean liquor from 172 years ago, and this news was also conveyed to Naju.

The city invited Johan Le Talec, cultural attach? of the French Embassy in Korea, Professor Pierre Emmanuel Hu, and Oh Young-gyo, CEO of Hanbul Communication, to this academic forum.

The forum plans to newly identify the historical facts of the Bigeumdo drifting incident, which was the occasion for the first encounter between Korea and France 172 years ago, and derive ways to revitalize Korea-France exchanges based on this.

The forum will begin with an opening address by Mayor Yoon Byung-tae and proceed in two parts (presentation-discussion).

In the first part, Professor Pierre Emmanuel Hu will give a presentation titled 'A Historical Review of the First Korea-France Encounter in 1851.' Following this, Oh Young-gyo, CEO of Hanbul Communication, and Kim Hee-tae, former cultural heritage expert of Jeollanam-do, will discuss research achievements and utilization plans of historical materials from both countries.

The second part will feature a discussion under the theme 'Ways to Revitalize Korea-France Cultural Exchange.'

Seven panelists will participate, including former Gwangju University Professor Ryu Han-ho as chairperson, former Jeollanam-do Deputy Governor Jeong Soon-nam, Dongshin University Professor Kim Young-mi, Jeonnam Provincial Museum Director Lee Ji-ho, Rural Space Research Institute Director Jeong Jong-dae, and curators from Naju City and Sinan County.

About 100 people from various sectors are expected to attend the event, including Jeollanam-do, the National Research Institute of Maritime Cultural Heritage, the Overseas Cultural Heritage Foundation, international cultural exchange organizations, high school history club students and teachers, and descendants of Lee Jeong-hyun, magistrate of Naju-mok, who sponsored the forum.

The city will introduce the commemorative monument of Lee Jeong-hyun, recorded as the representative of Joseon in 1851, preserved in the area, and reproduce and exhibit the earthenware liquor bottles used at the first dinner 172 years ago to commemorate the reunion of the two countries in 2023.

Mayor Yoon Byung-tae said, "I hope Naju's efforts to properly identify the historic event from 172 years ago, which will rewrite the diplomatic history between Korea and France, will become the cornerstone of friendship and exchange between the two countries," adding, "I look forward to meeting in France next year."

Naju = Kim Yuk-bong, Honam Reporting Headquarters, Asia Economy baekok@asiae.co.kr

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