In April 2004, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China put up distorted interpretation of Goguryeo(Koguryo)'s history on its web site. In July 2004, the Chinese government registered Goguryeo's relics in China (a part of the Korean history) as 'World Cultural Heritage', and published articles on Goguryeo's history with distorted interpretation ("Goguryeo was an ethnic local government of ancient China") in the government and political party's magazines. Since then, the history of Goguryeo has become a diplomatic issue between the ROK and the PRC.

※ Prior to this, China began a project called 'A Series of Researches on the History and Current Status of Northeast Borderland', which is also known as the 'Northeast Project'. This five-year project, which began in February 2002, included researches on, but not limited to, the region's history from ancient to modern time, China-Russia relations, as well as the history of Goguryeo.

- In June 2003, China's Guangming Daily and China Daily introduced the overall outline of the Northeast project, claiming that "Goguryeo was an ethnic local government of ancient China".

Our Government considers the Goguryeo history issue as "an overriding task that is directly related to the roots and identity of our nation", and has been taking firm and decisive diplomatic measures against China consistently, urging China to correct its distorted interpretation of the history of Goguryeo.

As a result of such efforts made by our Government, the vice foreign ministers of the two countries reached the verbal agreement on the Goguryeo's history issue in August 2004, which can be summarized as follows :

Our Government urged the Chinese side to take corrective measures according to the verbal agreement on various occasions of high-level consultations between the presidents, prime ministers and foreign ministers of the two countries.

- The ROK-China Summits (APEC in November 2004, President Hu Jintao's state visit for APEC in November 2005, President Roh Moo-hyun's working-level visit to China in October 2006, APEC in November 2006)

- The Meeting between President Roh Moo-hyun and Premier Wen Jiabao (ASEM in October 2004, Premier Wen's visit to Korea in April 2007), CPPCC Chairman Jia Qinglin‘s courtesy call on President Roh Moo-hyun (August 2004), the Meeting between President Roh Moo-hyun and NPC Standing Committee Chairman Wu Bangguo (on the occasion of President Roh's working-level visit to China in October 2006)

- The ROK-China Prime Ministers' Talks (during Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan's visit to China in June 2005)

- The ROK-China Foreign Ministers' Talks (Minister Ban Ki-moon's visit to China in March 2004, APEC Ministerial Meeting in November 2004, ACD in April 2005, ASEM and ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meetings in May 2005, ARF in July 2005, Minister Ban Ki-moon's visit to China in August 2005, APEC in November 2005, Minister Ban Ki-moon's visit to China in June 2006, ASEAN+3 in January 2007, Minister Song Min-soon's visit to China in January 2007, etc.) Minister Ban Ki-moon's courtesy call on State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan (on the occasion of Minister Ban Ki-moon's visit to China in August 2004)

Furthermore, our Government has been urging China consistently to make corrections through various diplomatic channels such as the ROK-China Vice Foreign Ministers' Talks, various working-level consultations, our Embassy in China and the Chinese Embassy in Seoul.

Ever since the verbal agreement was made in August 2004, there have been no additional distortions made by the central government, political party, and government-managed media (People's Daily, Xinhua News Agency, etc.) of China, and China's corrective measures thus far were as follows:

- alteration of the Foreign Ministry web site's distorted contents (August 2004)

- deletion of the People's Education Press web site's distorted contents (September 2004)

- correction of Xinhua News Agency web site's "Cultural Heritage of China" introductory section's distorted contents (January 2005)

- deletion of Xinhua News Agency internet edition's distorted article (July 2005)

- deletion of Chinese media (Dalian Daily, Jiangxi TV, etc.) web sites' distorted articles about 'O-nyo(Wunu) Mountain Fortress' in Huanren City (August 2005)

- removal of 4 sign boards(out of 6) with distorted facts about Goguryeo's history at 'Yongdam(Longtan) Mountain Fortress' (August 2005)

- holding back of official adoption of the "test version" middle school history textbooks (September 2005)

- deletion of Huanren County web site's distorted contents (July 2006)

- addition of a map with Goguryeo as a part of the Korean Peninsula to middle school history textbooks (Chinese History)/ addition of Korean history(with Goguryeo's history included) to middle school history textbooks (World History) (July 2006)

- removal of a sign board with distorted interpretation of Goguryeo's history at 'Bonghwang(Fenghuang) Mountain Fortress' in Liaoning Province (October 2006)

- removal of 2 white stone plaques at 'Yongdam(Longtan) Mountain Fortress' (presumably around December 2006)

- deletion of the distorted introduction of Ji'an City on the State Administration of Cultural Heritage web site
(January 2007)

Meanwhile, we are urging China continuously to make prompt corrections to the matters that the Chinese side is still reviewing, such as the distorted contents of the explanatory stone plaque at the Ji'an City Museum.

Based on our stern position that we will take decisive measures against any attempt to distort our history, our Government will continue efforts to prevent such distortions and make corrections with regard to Goguryeo's history. At the same time, we will actively pursue or provide support for various other efforts such as strengthening academic capacity for countermeasures, promoting Korea-China and international academic exchanges, reinforcing overseas publicity activities, discovering core historical materials(sources), and excavating and preserving Goguryeo's relics in both South and North parts of the Korean Peninsula.