2026, Vol., No.163

Choe Nam-seon’s Research on Gojoseon and Kija Joseon

WonChin Cho | 2026, (163) | pp.7~48 | number of Cited : 0

This study examines Yukdang Choe Nam-seon’s research on Gojoseon and Kija Joseon and clarifies its historiographical significance. Choe Nam-seon’s perception of Gojoseon’s territory and center was not static, but evolved in response to historical circumstances and his field exploration experiences. His localization of the center shifted from the initial “Baekdusan–Pyongyang migration theory” to the “Liaohe–Songhua River basin to Pyongyang migration theory,” and eventually to the “Pyongyang-centered theory.” Although his territorial perception of Gojoseon underwent several shifts, it was ultimately defined as encompassing northern Korea and southern Manchuria as its primary historical arena. He posited that Gojoseon confronted the state of Yan along its western border centered on the Yaosu (Liao River), crossing beyond the Liaoxi region during times of peak strength, but retreated to the Yalu River line following the invasion of the Yan general Qin Kai. In addition, he classified the ethnic group of Gojoseon as the Ye (濊) tribe, identical to that of Buyeo. The most original and significant research achievement of Choe Nam-seon’s Gojoseon research was his systematic critique of the fictitious nature of the Kija Joseon theory and his replacement of it with Gaeaji Joseon (Haessi Joseon), an indigenous dynasty unique to Gojoseon. Against Japanese scholars such as Imanishi Ryu, who used the fictitiousness of the Kija tradition as a pretext to render the history of Gojoseon prior to the 3rd century BCE a historical blank, Choe proved the fictitious nature of Kija Joseon from various perspectives. Furthermore, his attempt to place an indigenous ruling power in the position where Kija was negated led to the research of contemporary historians, such as Jeong In-bo’s “Geom Joseon” and Yi Byeong-do’s “Han-ssi Joseon.” In addition, he sought to independently establish the system of Gojoseon history by identifying Wiman as of Joseon descent, leaving meaningful implications for the subsequent course of ancient history research in Korean scholarship.

A Study on the Compilation of Yullyeong(律令) and Gyeok(格) from the Late of the Middle Ancient Period to the Late Periods of Silla

Jeon Deogjae | 2026, (163) | pp.49~98 | number of Cited : 0

The Penal Nature and Relationship of ‘Guihyang Punishment(歸鄕刑)’ and ‘Chungsangho Punishment(充常戶刑)’ in the Goryeo Dynasty

Choi Jeong Han | 2026, (163) | pp.99~140 | number of Cited : 0

This study re-examines the characteristics and structural relationship between Guihyang punishment(歸鄕刑) and Chungsangho punishment(充常戶刑) in the Goryeo dynasty. Previous studies defined these two punishments as a ‘supplementary penalty system’ existing outside the five-punishment(五刑) framework of the Penal Code(律令). However, this interpretation presents limitations due to the arbitrary conceptualization of ‘supplementary penalty.’ Furthermore, as recent studies suggested that Guihyang punishment(歸鄕刑) was a type of exile(流刑) reflecting Goryeo’s social structure. In this situation, reinterpretation of the penal nature of these two punishments and their relationship is necessary. The Guihyang punishment(歸鄕刑) constituted a principal punishment(主刑) that could be imposed independently. It shares the same content and objective with the exile(流刑), however it is lighter punishment than exile punishment which is included in Penal Code(律令). Guihyang punishment was established under the influence of the Song Dynasty’s law system, and was closely linked to Goryeo’s Bongwan system(本貫制). Chungsangho punishment(充常戶刑) was a supplementary punishment aimed primarily at status demotion and the deprivation of opportunities for social mobility. In particular, it was frequently execution-bound with facial tattooing(鈒面) or exile to remote regions like island. When imposed on privileged or specialized status groups such as Buddhist monks or ruling class, Chungsangho served to forfeit existing privileges and demote social standing; when applied to commoners, it was combined with facial tattooing or remote exile to enforce permanent status fixation. In conclusion, Guihyang punishment and Chungsangho did not constitute a rigid, unified ‘supplementary penalty system.’ Instead, Guihyang punishment as an independent exile punishment and Chungsangho as a supplementary status-based sanction were combined and operated fluidly according to the nature of individual crimes and status control needs. This demonstrates that while the penal execution system of Goryeo adopted Tang and Song laws, it operated dynamically by reflecting the specificities of Goryeo society.

The Publication of Buddhist Texts by the Gangyeongdogam during the Reign of King Sejo and Its Historical Significance

Choi, Kyong-Hwan | 2026, (163) | pp.141~182 | number of Cited : 0

Constructing and Analyzing a Database of Material Exchanges in Sixteenth-Century Joseon Diplomatic Mission Records

YUN, SEUNGHEE | 2026, (163) | pp.183~226 | number of Cited : 0

Reality and Transition of Royal Tomb Management System of Goryeo in the Joseon Dynasty

BAKYEONGUNG | 2026, (163) | pp.227~278 | number of Cited : 0

This study traces the actual state and evolution of the management system of Goryeo Royal Tombs during the Joseon Dynasty, examining how the Joseon Dynasty preserved the tombs of the preceding dynasty and implemented the political and Confucian significance embedded within them. Managing the Goryeo Royal Tombs served as a manifestation of Joseon’s commitment to establishing and proving its historical legitimacy, while deeply rooted in the rationale of practicing Confucian virtuous governance. In particular, among the tombs of various Goryeo kings, it was designated and managed as a core subject in connection with the rank and number of Goryeo kings enshrined in the Goryeo Taejo Shrine(Sunguijeon). Kings Taejong and Sejong instituted differential management policies based on this criterion, completing the institutional foundation as codified in the Gyeongguk daejeon. Linking the management of Goryeo Royal Tombs with Sunguijeon not only expressed deference toward the preceding dynasty, but also reflected a deliberate policy intention to differentiate the status between the two dynasties by projecting a reorganized ritual order, establishing a concentrated control system over core royal tombs, and reducing the status of the remaining tombs. However, as practical management waned, difficulties arose in identifying tomb owners, facing limitations such as persistent illegal farming, lumbering, and unauthorized burials. It was during the reign of King Hyeonjong that the management system was systematically re-established and the tomb precincts were sanctified. King Hyeonjong formalized regular inspections by dispatching officials from the Ministry of Rites every three years and differentiated the boundaries of prohibition markers centered on the four enshrined spirits in Sunguijeon. Furthermore, appointing descendants of the Goryeo royal family as tomb guards secured both practical protection and symbolic deference to the former dynasty. Hyeonjong’s policy of safeguarding Goryeo Royal Tombs and expanding preferential treatment for Goryeo descendants was inherited by subsequent monarchs. King Yeongjo fortified the sanctification of Goryeo Royal Tombs by issuing Royal Edict on Prohibition Markers at Former Dynasty Tombs. King Jeongjo formally incorporated the Yeoreung Chambong into the Ministry of Personnel, and King Cheoljong instituted alternating nominations, thereby realizing the Confucian ideal of courtesy and respect toward preceding royal lineages. During King Gojong’s reign, large-scale repairs of Goryeo Royal Tombs, the erection of 57 stone markers, the creation of the Goryeo Hyeonreung Jikjang position, and the promotion of Yeoreung Chambong to capital posts institutionalized deference toward Goryeo royal descendants as a bureaucratic privilege and a device symbolizing Confucian virtuous governance. Meanwhile, the regular inspection system formalized under King Hyeonjong exhibited flexible operation between the Confucian rationale of preserving royal tombs and addressing public welfare issues, such as preventing the burdens of official reception expenses. While the principle of dispatching officials every triennial exam year was observed during the reigns of Kings Sukjong and Yeongjo, from King Jeongjo’s reign onward, it became customary for local magistrates to act as proxies due to the burdens of reception expenses caused by famines, resulting in repeated cycles of administrative relaxation and normalization. Ultimately, the regular inspection system appears to have been effectively abolished during King Gojong’s reign. This should not be interpreted as neglect, but rather as the completion of an overarching, standing management system comprising tomb stone markers alongside continuous reporting by local magistrates and dedicated Goryeo tomb custodians. In conclusion, despite historical vicissitudes, the management system of Goryeo Royal Tombs during the Joseon Dynasty consistently embodied Confucian respect and historical justification toward the preceding dynasty in connection with Sunguijeon, while undergoing a dynamic transition to address practical public welfare concerns and secure the administrative efficacy of the on-site protection system.

A Case Study of Digital History Content Production Using Historical Films: Reconstructing Historical Figures in The King’s Warden and The Face Reader

YUN HYE MIN | 2026, (163) | pp.279~324 | number of Cited : 0

This study examines the potential for university history courses using historical films to move beyond film viewing and criticism toward learner-centered historical interpretation and digital content production. To this end, it analyzes the design and implementation of a digital history content production project conducted in Comprehensive Design for Historical Visual Media Analysis, a course offered by the Department of History at K University in the spring semester of 2026, as well as the digital content produced by the students. After viewing The King’s Warden(2026) and The Face Reader(2013), the students formed six teams, each focusing on Danjong, the Six Martyred Ministers, Sejo, Han Myeong-hoe, Kim Jong-seo, or Sin Suk-ju. Each team examined primary historical sources and other historical films and television dramas related to its historical figure or group, compared these materials with the representations in the two films, and produced digital content using Notion. The six teams’ projects can be divided into three types according to the relationship between their interpretations of historical figures and the digital formats they selected: emotion and relationships, investigation and commemoration, and choice-based narratives. Blogs, Instagram, and KakaoTalk were used to reconstruct the emotions and interpersonal relationships of historical figures; an investigative television program, a biographical format, and an online fan community were used to explore their political actions as well as their later evaluations, memory, and commemoration; and a choice-based game was used to reconstruct Sejo’s political judgments and decisions. These results demonstrate that digital formats can function not merely as tools for conveying historical information, but also as interpretive devices that shape which aspects of historical figures are selected and emphasized. The students also examined the same historical events from the perspectives of different actors, compared primary sources with historical visual media, determined the structure and format of their content, produced the digital content themselves, and reflected on both the production process and its outcomes. In this respect, the project expanded the scope of learners’ roles from receiving and analyzing historical films to reconstructing historical knowledge, producing digital content, and reflecting on the production process. At the same time, the production process revealed several limitations, including the need to distinguish more clearly between historically documented facts and historical imagination, the risk that familiar digital formats might simplify complex historical contexts, questions concerning the historical accuracy of outputs produced with generative AI, and issues of usability in digital content. Digital history content production based on historical films therefore requires creative expression together with source-based interpretation, as well as careful consideration of how media formats shape historical understanding and of the historical accuracy and usability of digital outputs.

Activities and Limitations of the Chosun Peasants’ General League in the 1920s and 1930s

CHOI EUN JIN | 2026, (163) | pp.325~360 | number of Cited : 0

The establishment of the Chosun Peasants’ General League in 1927, following the Chosun Laborers’ and Peasants’ General League, was driven not only by the need to separate the central organizations of the labor and peasant movements along occupational lines but also by changes in the socialist forces that led these organizations. The Chosun Peasants’ General League was repeatedly prohibited from holding public gatherings and subjected to strict surveillance and control by the colonial authorities, as had been the case with its predecessor. As a result, the League often made decisions through written resolutions or informal meetings. Its activities were further weakened when many of its leading members were imprisoned or went into hiding or exile due to their involvement with the Chosun Communist Party. Nevertheless, the Chosun Peasants’ General League established itself as the “central headquarters of the nationwide peasant movement.” As a unified national leadership organization, it contributed to the expansion of the peasant union movement in Chosun. The League’s principal activity was to support tenant disputes in different parts of the country. It also provided broader organizational and practical assistance to local peasant unions. However, the League failed to establish a coherent theoretical framework for unifying the nationwide peasant movement, leaving the movement in a state of considerable confusion. Even as peasant unions expanded across the country, the League, which was supposed to function as their unified central leadership, was unable to provide concrete guidance for their struggles. The primary cause of this limitation was the systematic repression imposed by the Japanese colonial authorities. At the same time, internal struggles among competing factions within the organization further exposed the League’s organizational limitations. Despite these difficulties, the Chosun Peasants’ General League continued to play a meaningful organizational role within the limited space available for legal movement in the early 1930s. During this period, its nominally legal status helped maintain, at least formally, the legal status of affiliated peasant unions. However, as the social and political environment increasingly made legal organizational movement impossible in the 1930s, the Chosun Peasants’ General League was eventually dissolved in 1935.

The Memories and Ongoing Struggle of the Victim-Survivors of Forced Conscription and the Nokhwa-Guidance Operations

Moon, Minki | 2026, (163) | pp.361~398 | number of Cited : 0

This study aims to re-examine the aspects and characteristics of the suffering left by state violence by analyzing the oral histories of the victim-survivors of forced conscription and the Nokhwa-Guidance operations perpetrated during the authoritarian regime. While previous studies and investigations have focused on the background of the implementation of forced conscription and the Nokhwa-Guidance operations, the illegality of the conscription process, and the violence of forced ideological conversion and informant activities, this study examines how the lives of the victim-survivors have changed based on their testimonies. What distinguish forced conscription and the Nokhwa-Guidance operations from other forms of torture investigations stem from the closed and violent nature of the military organization. Illegal forced conscription functioned as a punishment that isolated the victim-survivors from society and school, regardless of their individual will. Furthermore, incidents of suspicious deaths in the military brought about the fear of death. Investigators from the Defense Security Command constantly threatened the victim-survivors with death, and death remained a lingering fear even after their discharge from the military. The victim-survivors who went through this process are still fighting against the physical and psychological pain and the specter of death from that time. Forced conscription and the Nokhwa-Guidance operations created another group of victims: their families. Families continue to endure the pain as they watch over the victim-survivors. Meanwhile, for the victim-survivors, activities and testimonies aimed at uncovering the truth were sometimes considered an extension or repetition of their suffering. In future research and investigation processes, it will be necessary to consider these issues and maintain an attitude of listening carefully to the stories of the victim-survivors who are just beginning to speak out.

Records: How the Dead Save the Living -Documents on the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement from the Bureau of Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs at the U.S. National Archives-

Park Kwang Myeong | 2026, (163) | pp.401~436 | number of Cited : 0

Revisiting the “History Wars”: A Transcript of The Historical Society of Korea’s Forum on Current Issues in Korean History

한국사학회 | 2026, (163) | pp.439~466 | number of Cited : 0

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The Review of Korean History 2025 KCI Impact Factor : 1.28

2026, Vol., No.163