Many Korean historians
recognized for long the necessity of cooperation with the International Committee of Historical
Sciences (CISH) to enrich historical discipline and tighten international
unity. Some Korean individual scholars had in fact participated in the 11th and 12th International
Congresses of Historical Sciences respectively held in Stockholm in 1960 and in Vienna in 1965.
In July 1966, major Korean
historical societies
organized the Preparatory Committee for affiliation to the International
Committee of Historical Sciences, and for this purpose in November the general
meeting was convened
to appoint a board of 16 officers, who were representing the disciplines of
Asian, European and Korean histories, including the presidents of five historical
societies who were then in charge of the annual Nationwide Conference of Historians.
In September 1968, the Preparatory Committee
officially invited Professor Michel François (École des Chartes, France), Secretary
General of the CISH and Professor Kohachiro Takahashi (University of Tokyo, Japan), an
assessor member of the Bureau representing the Asian region, and held a series
of talk open to the public with Korean historians. During a week-long stay discussing the
current situation of the discipline with the representatives of Korean historians,
they also had contacts with government authorities such as the Ministry of
Education and some related organizations.
The processing of affiliation made rapid progress, and the application was submitted
in February 1969. Finally in August 1970 at the 13th International Congress in Moscow, the Republic of Korea was recognized as a member state
by the General Assembly of the CISH.
The Inaugural General Assembly was
then held in Seoul in November
1970, when the Korean National Committee of Historical Sciences was officially
established, as its Constitution consisting of 17 articles was passed, and its officers were
elected. Professor CHO Eui-sul (Yonsei University) was named the first President
of the Korean National Committee.
In 1979, Professor CHUN Haejong (National
Academy of Sciences, Republic of Korea) was elected the second President and remained in office
until March 1999. The General Assembly of the Korean National Committee
elected CHA Ha Soon (Professor Emeritus, Sogang University) its third President
and re-elected in March 2004. As soon as he was elected, President
Cha appointed six executive officers and some non-standing assessor members,
along with several presidents representing major historical societies. In early 2004, according
to the revised constitution of the Korean National Committee,
two historians were added as non-standing assessor members,
who are entitled to be present at the general assembly. And in May 12, 2016 an extraordinary general assembly KIM Ho Dong (Professor, Seoul National University) was elected the fourth president of the Committee.
|
