Some Chinese ask us, why do Koreans claim Confucius was Korean?
But we have never been taught that Confucius was Korean.
No Korean I know has ever claimed such a thing.
It is simply a claim that has been used to stir up anti-Korean sentiment in China.
And they also say Koreans are so poor that they cannot afford to eat meat.
But in 2024, Korea's GDP per capita was $34,165, while China's was $13,136.
What do you think? Is that claim really valid?

1. The Northeast Project and Goguryeo
China officially conducted the Northeast Project from 2002 to 2007 through an institution affiliated with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
The project interpreted the history of Goguryeo as part of Chinese history, describing Goguryeo as a regional kingdom belonging to an ethnic group of ancient China.
But Goguryeo was an ancient kingdom whose history is deeply connected to the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia.
Why does China try to redefine the history of Goguryeo as Chinese history?

2. Hanbok
Hanbok is traditional Korean clothing.
Yet in China, claims have appeared that Korean traditional clothing is part of Chinese culture.
At the opening ceremony of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, a woman wearing hanbok appeared as a representative of one of China's ethnic minority groups.
The Chinese government explained that she represented the Korean ethnic minority living in China.
But the image was broadcast to the entire world as part of China's national presentation.
Is it really unreasonable for Koreans to question this?

3. Kimchi and Pao Cai
In 2020, China obtained an ISO standard for Sichuan pao cai, a type of salted and fermented vegetable.
Some Chinese media presented this as a victory related to the international standardization of the "kimchi industry."
But there was an important problem.
ISO 24220:2020 is a standard for pao cai, not kimchi.
The ISO document explicitly states:
"This document does not apply to kimchi."
Kimchi is a traditional Korean fermented food, while Sichuan pao cai is a different food with a different production method.
So why was a standard for pao cai presented by some Chinese media as if it were related to China's victory over Korean kimchi?

4. Goguryeo Heritage and Historical Interpretation
China has also registered important Goguryeo archaeological sites as UNESCO World Heritage.
There is nothing wrong with preserving Goguryeo ruins located in modern-day China.
The problem is something completely different:
Where the ruins are located today does not determine whose history the ancient kingdom belonged to.
The Goguryeo Capital Cities and Tombs archaeological sites were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2004.
Preserving Goguryeo heritage in China is one thing.
Reinterpreting Goguryeo as an ancient Chinese regional kingdom is another.
These two issues should not be confused.

So, what is the problem?
China and Korea have shared a long history of cultural exchange.
There is nothing wrong with acknowledging that.
But historical exchange should not be used as a reason to rewrite another country's history or claim another country's culture as one's own.
If something is Korean, call it Korean.
If something is Chinese, call it Chinese.
History does not become true simply because a government, a media outlet, or a nationalist community repeats it often enough.
Facts do not change according to nationality.


有些中国人问我们：为什么韩国人声称孔子是韩国人？
但是，我们从来没有被教导过孔子是韩国人。
我认识的韩国人中，也没有任何人声称过这种事情。
这不过是一种被用来在中国煽动反韩情绪的说法。
他们还说，韩国人穷得连肉都吃不起。
但是，2024年韩国的人均GDP为34,165美元，而中国只有13,136美元。
你怎么看？
这种说法真的站得住脚吗？

1. 东北工程与高句丽
中国曾于2002年至2007年正式开展“东北工程”。
该项目由隶属于中国社会科学院的研究机构实施。
在这一项目的历史解释中，高句丽被解释为中国古代民族的地方政权，并被纳入中国历史。
但是，高句丽是东北亚古代历史中的重要王国，其历史与朝鲜半岛及东北亚地区有着深刻的联系。
为什么中国要试图把高句丽的历史重新定义为中国历史？

2. 韩服
韩服是韩国的传统服饰。
然而，在中国网络上曾出现过将韩国传统服饰解释为中国文化一部分的说法。
2022年北京冬奥会开幕式上，一名身穿韩服的女性作为中国少数民族代表之一出现。
中国方面解释称，她代表的是生活在中国的朝鲜族。
但是，这一画面通过全球转播出现在中国的国家形象展示之中。
韩国人对此产生疑问，真的不合理吗？

3. 泡菜与泡菜（Pao Cai）
2020年，中国获得了关于四川泡菜（Pao Cai）的ISO国际标准。
一些中国媒体却将这一事件宣传为与“泡菜国际标准”有关的胜利。
但是，这里存在一个非常重要的问题。
ISO 24220:2020的标准对象是 Pao Cai（泡菜/盐渍发酵蔬菜），而不是韩国泡菜（Kimchi）。
ISO官方文件明确写道：
“This document does not apply to kimchi.”
韩国泡菜是韩国传统发酵食品，而四川泡菜则是另一种具有不同制作方法的食品。
那么，为什么一些中国媒体却把关于Pao Cai的国际标准宣传成与韩国泡菜有关的胜利？

4. 高句丽遗址与历史解释
中国还将重要的高句丽考古遗址列入了联合国教科文组织世界遗产名录。
保存位于现代中国境内的高句丽遗址本身没有任何问题。
真正的问题是另外一回事：
今天遗址位于哪个国家，并不能决定一个古代王国属于谁的历史。
“高句丽王城、王陵及贵族墓葬”于2004年被列入联合国教科文组织世界遗产名录。
在中国境内保护高句丽文化遗产，是一回事。
把高句丽重新解释为中国古代地方政权，则是另一回事。
这两个问题不应该混为一谈。

那么，问题到底在哪里？
中国和韩国之间有着悠久的文化交流历史。
承认这一点没有任何问题。
但是，历史上的文化交流不应该成为重新书写其他国家历史，或者把其他国家的文化据为己有的理由。
如果是韩国的，就应该说是韩国的。
如果是中国的，就应该说是中国的。
历史不会因为一个政府、一个媒体，或者一个民族主义群体反复重复某种说法，就自动变成事实。
事实不会因为国籍而改变。