역사교육의 전지구적 전환 II : 글로벌히스토리의 실천

Abstract

In this study, I try to connect the Korean problem with the cause of Russo-Japanese War based on the global historical standpoint. I especially refocus on the Yalu Crisis in the Korean peninsula in 1903. These include the competition for the concession rights for the construction of the Seoul- iju Railway; the lease of Yongampo; and the opening of iju and Yongampo in the Yalu frontier. The rivalry which emerged over control of the northern part of the Korean peninsula, which began with the issue of securing concession rights for the construction of the Seoul- iju Railway but expanded to include the Yongampo incident and the opening of iju and Yongampo, does not represent a simple episode which originated between the conflict between Russia and Japan. The fact that these events led directly to the outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War, and eventually resulted in providing Japan with the opportunity not only to annex Korea but also penetrate Manchuria, means that they should be perceived as important historical incidents on a scale similar to the Moroccan Crisis which eventually resulted in the advent of World War I. Moreover, Yalu Crisis can be perceived as the direct precursors of the eventual crisis which engulfed East Asia. This is the reason why the ‘Korean problem’was important enough to result in the outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War, which has been referred to as a mini-World War, and why the Yalu Crisis which emerged on the Korean peninsula 100 years ago should be reanalyzed not only at the Korean history level but at the level of Global history. As mentioned above, I am of the mindset that the limitations of the arguments put forward by previous Japanese and Russian researchers with regards to the cause of the war can be overcome when further emphasis is placed on the Korean problem, especially the Yalu Issues. The reason why is that the Yalu Crisis holds the Key to the solution of the question. In order to do so, Studies on the Russo-Japanese War should be carried out from diverse standpoints that include Manchuria and the Korean peninsula, but also incorporate the global policies which emerged during the early period of the 20th century. This kind of approach is needed to develop a global understanding of the History of the Russo-Japanese War. To achieve this, first of all, more efforts should be put into uncovering the actual nature of the Yalu crisis which unfolded on the Korean peninsula during the period surrounding the outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War.