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.

 

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