Historians Search the Turkish and Korean Brotherhood

Turkey launches praiseworthy scientific works on history. These works include both Turkish and the world history.

Turkish History Foundation (Turk Tarih Kurumu) started to explore the roots of Turkish history in the East and Central Asia under the presidency of Prof. Refik Turan. Recently, one of the most prominent steps was taken in Seoul. Turkish History Foundation and Northeast Asian History Foundation jointly organized “Gokturk and Goguryeo: Second Turkish-Korean Historical Relations Forum” between 25-28 October.

Distinguished historians attended the program which was held firstly in the Turkish capital, Ankara in 2015. Two sides discussed the historical roots and bilateral relations of Goguryeo and Gokturk Empire to rewrite the Asian history.

Interesting Facts on Goguryeo and Gokturk Relations

Goguryeo is the ancestor of Koreans. It is a historical value for Koreans like our Huns and Gokturks. Because Gokturk Empire is precious topic to define Turkish identity and Turkish existence in Central Asia and the neighborhood with Goguryeo. However, there are a lot of unknown dimensions of bilateral relations. We, as Turks, have a habit to start bilateral relations with the Korean War in the 20th century. We defend we are brothers just because of this war. But this issue is really deep.

Actually, Turkish-Korean relations go back to the 6th century while Gokturk and Goguryeo were having interaction. Turkish History Foundation initiates to understand that dimension of the history. The foundation encourages historians to read historical documents in Chinese, Korean and Turkish language, to make excavations in the Eastern and Central Asian regions and to search the roots of two nations.

Bilateral relations started with civil and commercial activities and continued as a strategic partnership against China in the 6th and 7th centuries according to scientific researches. Additionally, there is a continuous partnership during the Uyghurs and Timurid period as well. Prof. Ahmet Tasagil who participated to Seoul program, mentioned that historical relations in his works.

How did the relations firstly start?

According to researches, political relations started in 607 between Eastern Gokturk Khaganate and Goguryeo with the emissary negotiations. At that period, there is a contingency that Gokturk supported Goguryeo during the long war series between China’s Sui Dynasty and Goguryeo. Because an astonishing war, Salsu Battle occurred in the year of 612.

The Salsu Victory is the second part of the series of wars between Goguryeo and China. These wars have been called as Sui-Goguryeo Wars and occurred between 598 and 614. These struggles negatively affected the Chinese rule in the region and caused the collapse of Sui Dynasty.

A great progress had been realized during the Sui Dynasty rule between 581 and 618. Emperors Wen, Yang, and Gong of Sui consolidated the public institutions, agricultural developments as addition to the continuous construction of the Great Wall and Great Channel projects. But the excessive costs of the struggles against Korea have weakened the empire.

Emperor Yang launched a campaign after the construction of Great Channel which is a link between southern and northern parts of the country. From the first months of 611, he created a magnificent army to conquer Pyongyang, Goguryeo’s capital, by collecting people from the southern part under the law of compulsory military service along with food supplement. It was possible to keep control in Pyongyang if the empire conquers the Liaodong peninsula. Up to 1.130.000 soldiers were agglomerated near to regions around Manchuria.

There were numerous ambushes which were prepared by Goguryeo soldiers. Most of the soldiers were killed in castle areas and some of them in swamps. Thence Chinese emperor had to change the tactics. Chinese army couldn’t conquer even one of the Goguryeo castles during the six-month-length siege. Emperor Yang who wanted to reach Korea quickly put new tactics to increase the moral level of soldiers which were tired of long-term land siege. While the land army was slowly walking, he ordered to enter Taedong River which flows through the heart of Goguryeo with the support of 200.000 soldiers. But starvation period started quickly. It caused the deaths and illness.

The Chinese army was frequently attacked by Goguryeo when it was so close to Pyongyang. 300.000 soldiers arrived at Salsu River (today Chongchon). The water level in the riverbed was very low. Actually, Goguryeo cut off the water flow from a dam. But Commander Eulji Mundeok ordered to open the dam gate while Chinese soldiers were passing the middle of the river. Water created a flow impact and caused to drown most of them and others escaped. Chinese and Korean sources give the number of alive soldiers approximately 2700.

Historical “Déjà vu”

It is interesting that a new war occurred in the same place of Chongchon River as Battle of the Chongchon River. United Nations forces with the collaboration of US, Turkey, and the UK against China clashed in this historical area. China decisively won the battle. It seems that it was a revenge of Salsu Battle.  Historical deja vu appeared.

So the relations of Goguryeo and Gokturk Empire are being searched by historians in Turkey and Korea. It seems that there will be a significant process with the initiatives of Turkish History Foundation. Now we are able to assume that bilateral political relations started in 607. It is a noteworthy topic for contemporary relations of two countries.