Korea is a country of hidden wonders. These wonders, which have remained hidden in some cases for centuries, are continually being unearthed. Many have something to teach us about the world we live in today. The Sillok – royal annals that documented every day of the Joseon dynasty for the five centuries it governed Korea … [Read More]
UNESCO Heritage: Joseon Wangjo Sillok (조선왕조실록 - the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty)
Seduced by Yi Seong-gye: the first volumes in the Sillok are translated
The Annals of King T’aejo, Founder of Korea’s Choson Dynasty Translated and annotated by Choi Byonghyon Harvard University Press, 2014, 1,028 pp I wandered into the University bookshop last night for a browse. I’d just been to see Andrew Killick talk about Hwang Byungki at SOAS, and thought I might try to pick up his … [Read More]
E-Government in Korea – The Spirit of Sillok Lives On!
The forthcoming publication ‘Leveraging e-government at a time of financial and economic crisis’ from the United Nations reveals the Republic of Korea to be at the top of both E-Government Development and E-Participation Indices. The website where the new report is introduced remarks: While technology is no substitute for good policy, it may give citizens … [Read More]
Making History: Part 1 – The Sillok
In the first of three articles, Matthew Jackson looks at the ways that the official history of the Joseon dynasty was written. At most Korean events I have been to, there has generally been a Korean studiously taking photographs throughout, for reasons that were not immediately obvious to me. I once asked, and was told … [Read More]