"History Shaped by Climate and Topography"... Korean Ancient History Association to Hold Academic Conference on the 20th

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The Korean Ancient History Association and the Institute of History and Culture at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies will hold a joint academic conference on the theme of "Transitional Ecological Zones of Manchuria and the Korean Peninsula and the Military and Diplomatic Routes of Ancient Korea" at the Sahyang Convergence Gymnasium of Seoul National University of Education on the 20th.

The conference will analyze the growth and exchanges of ancient states with a focus on transitional ecological zones such as Manchuria, the Korean Peninsula, and the Mongolian Plateau. It aims to move away from the conventional perspective centered on the imperial dynasties of the Chinese Central Plains and to clarify how the natural environment influenced war and diplomacy.

In the keynote presentation, Lee Changseok, President of the National Institute of Ecology, will speak on "The Natural Environment and Transitional Ecological Zones of Manchuria and the Korean Peninsula." Professor Ki Kyungnyang of the Catholic University of Korea will present on the impact of climate fluctuations on the movement routes of the wars between Goguryeo and the Sui and Tang dynasties, and Professor Park Chanwoo of Chonnam National University will discuss the factors by which the marine environment of the Yellow Sea contributed to the breakdown of contacts between Baekje and Northern Wei.

There will also be a range of other thematic presentations. Research Professor Na Yujeong of Hankuk University of Foreign Studies will examine the formation of Goguryeo's transportation networks under the theme of "Changes in the Military and Diplomatic Routes of Goguryeo in the 4th and 5th Centuries." Professor Kim Jongbok of Kyungpook National University will analyze the envoy routes between Balhae and the Tang dynasty, and Professor Choi Sangki of Chungbuk National University will examine how falling temperatures on the Korean Peninsula affected military strategy. Professor Kim Sangil of Hankuk University of Foreign Studies will conclude the conference by explaining the shifts in military and diplomatic routes during the transition period between the Liao and Jin dynasties.

Yeo Hokyu, President of the Korean Ancient History Association, said, "We plan to propose a new research methodology for the history of international relations by examining the impact of natural topography and climate fluctuations on historical choices."

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