• Acta Via Serica
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.53-78
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• 2023

The paper presents some new results illustrating some developments related to the concept of the Silk Road and subsequent methodological reflections. New laboratory results of scientific analyses of plants, minerals, and human remains in combination with more conventional methods of research contribute to a better understanding of the multidirectionality of exchanges in Pre- and Protohistory. Unsuspected long-distance transfers of items, especially of metals (tin) and biological materials (plants, pathogens, etc.) are discovered. Adding ancient DNA and petroglyphs to the vexed question of the Indo-European migrations across Eurasia complexifies the familiar linguistic, historical, and archaeological research landscape. Recent excavations show the impact of the adoption of artistic elements adapted from the Achaemenid arts, far in the steppe world, and up to China. Multidirectional (including North-South lanes) and multidisciplinary approaches leave space and hope for more rigorous scientific modelizations for the archaeology of Eurasia and the Silk Road.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.117-142
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• 2020

This study aims to look for the main transport road of the ancient Silk Road and to add to the hidden history of silk, where little is known about the weaving technology of the beautiful silk of GoJoseon. The research was through the analysis of relics of empirical data and analyzed the secondary data collected from books, papers, and photos of artifacts. The research questions are as follows: First, investigates the environment of silk production for GoJoseon KyungGeum and the correlation between ancient Silk Road and the East region. Second, examines the advanced weaving technology of KyungGeum in GoJoseon. The findings of the study are as follows: It is possible to infer the production period of silk in GoJoseon through jade silkworms from the Hongsan Dong-Yi culture of 4500 BC. KyungGeum pieces were excavated in Louran, Astana and Niya of the Xinjiang Autonomous Region and Noin-Ula of Mongolia, and the oldest KyungGeum was found in JoYang, one of the capitals of GoJoseon near Balhae Bay. KyungGeum was invented in the 11th century BCE here. It became the brocade and damask of the West, which were delivered through steppe road before the 5~6th century BCE. The production of KyungGeum was possible through the advanced loom which is GoJoseon's horizontal square 'Jewharu' loom combined with a high level of weaving skill. This can't be made through the slant loom of China nor vertical loom of the West Asia. Based on these results, it is suggested to continue the research on the history of ancient silkroad.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.17 no.7
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• pp.1-13
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• 2019

The purpose of this study is to examine the main features of South Korea's New Northern Policy and to make some suggestions for cooperation with neighboring countries' initiatives. The New Northern Policy encompasses the whole of Eurasia, but the starting development area would be the border region of the Korean Peninsula. In this viewpoint, this study examines the Belt and Road Initiative of China, the New Eastern Policy of Russia and the Steppe Road Initiative of Mongolia, and presents the characteristics, problems and some implementation strategies of the New Northern Policy. Apart from the future possibilities of the regional cooperations that include North Korea, it would be necessary for South Korea to secure and expand the possible opportunities for "Korea-China-Mongolia-Russia" cooperation. In order to create a close cooperative environment with North Korea in the future, it would also be necessary to build a maritime route, with port development around major border regions on the Korean Peninsula, including Russia, and to develop the port-railway intermodal transportation system with neighboring countries. South Korea need to actively cooperate with neighboring countries to develop the new Eurasia logistics routes would be more favorable to the Korean Peninsula in preparation for the time when the North Korean nuclear issue will be resolved.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.191-213
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• 2023

Romans in the fifth and sixth centuries BC referred to the people who brought silk from the Far East via the pre-Han (漢) silk road as "Seres". The Seres' colorful silk was characterized by intricate patterns and high yarn density, markedly different than thin "China silk". This study examined geographic and genealogic records and linguistic evidence and found support for the syllogistic conclusion that the "Seres" were the early Silla people. The Seres' territory in the seventh century BC was much larger than that of the Qin (秦) or Zhou (周), extending from Xinjiang to Balhae. According to literature records, Dong-Yi (東夷) invented Geum (錦) silk in the 11th century BC around Balhae, where silkworm trees were abundant. In the Han dynasty, even thin silk was rare and expensive, but in Gojoseon (古朝鮮), Geum silk was common and less valuable than beads. The Silla delivered surplus Geum silk, fur, and high-quality iron to the West. Linguistic evidence includes historical names for Silla: "Sira," "Saro," and "Sere," as well as records naming King Ruri of Silla "Seri-Ji"; and the replacement of the word "Seres" by the word "Silk" from the Goguryeo word for "yarn winder": "sil-kkury".

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.166-185
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• 2015

Recently, as an enonomic importance of the Eurasian Continent raises, the necessity of east-west connecting ancient transport roads research is increasing. Although domestic research of eastern-western international exchange in the Eurasia is not yet very active, the studies of history, archaeology, art history, folklore, costume history have been advanced steadily. An attention for the exchange through steppe route originated from the interest in Korean folk and Korean culture and the research range is extending to Xiungnu, Kurgan culture as a direct investigation on the remains of Mongolia and Kazakhstan has been achieved constantly. The art history has been leading the research of exchange which is based on desert and oasis. The field research of Iran, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, etc progressed in various routes, and the research on diverse topics including Silla's golden culture, transmission of glass, and the Buddhism is improving. Research on the maritime silk road is weaker, compared to other parts. Buddhist and Hindu temples of Southeast Asia attracted some interest to people, but the research should focus on the restoration of sea route and consideration of its meaning. Research of this part is expected to be more activative, as domestic researchers investigate Don Son culture and Sa Huynh culture of Vietnam by themselves. From now on, we should focus on topics that are not directly connected to Korean history, and Korean culture. Because it is also our duty to study and conserve the culture of entire human community.

• Journal of Korea Port Economic Association
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.21-36
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• 2019

To ensure that Korea continues to grow, past governments have been consistent in following a policy of advancing into Russia, Mongolia, and Eurasia. The northern economy can expect to achieve synergistic growth because its economic structure complements that of Korea, which has high energy demand and industrial development. There is also an opportunity to accelerate the growth of the China-Russia-Mongolia economic corridor, which is based on Russia's Look East Policy, China's One Belt One Road, and the Mongolian Steppe Road initiative. The Korean government is pursuing a New Northern Policy to achieve the goal of economic cooperation and peace building with other nations, including North Korea; this policy succeeds the Northern Policy pursued by the previous government. As international economic cooperation requires transportation infrastructure, the demand for shipping, which offers more advantages than road and rail transportation, will increase; thus, it is necessary to prepare for it. Korea's port cities, which have a port that serves as the nodal point for maritime transportation, need to prepare for the New Northern Policy. In this paper, the long-term development of Seosan-Daesan port in the was planned and the North Korea's opening-op plan was considered in accordance with the New Northern Policy. Because international cooperation between the government and the provincial cities is required, cooperation with the Port Authority is needed, along with the proactive attitude of Seosan City, Chungcheongnam-do. The Seosan-Daesan port, which is the center of the liquid energy cargo center, can become the base of the New Northern Policy Region; further, the port can be an opportunity to establish its position as a peaceful economic hub on the west coast of Korea.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.54-73
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• 2012

In this article, we examined the patterns of activities of the Sarmathians though in a humble measure, with a focus on the regions where the Sarmathian sheaths spreaded. One of the main weapons the mounted nomads like the Scythias, the Sarmathians, and the Alans used at war was a spear. Though complementary, a sword was the most convenient and appropriate weapon when fighting at a near distance, fallen from the horse to the ground. The Sarmathian swords continued the tradition of the Akinakes which the Scythias or the Persians used, but those of the Sarmathians showed some advances in terms of the easiness with which a sword was drawn out from a sheath, and the way the sheaths were worn to parts of a human body. It turns out that the Sarmathian sheaths, which were designed for the people to draw swords easily, having the sheaths attached to thighs through 4 bumps, spread extensively from Pazyryk, Altai, to South Siberia, Bactria, Parthia and Rome. The most noteworthy out of all the Sarmathian sheaths were the ones that were excavated from the 4th tomb in Tillatepe, Afghanistan which belonged to the region of Bactria. The owner of the fourth tomb of Tilla-tepe whose region was under the control of Kushan Dynasty at that time, was buried wearing Sarmathian swords, and regarded as a big shot in the region of Bactria which was also under the governance of Kushan Dynasty. The fact that the owner of the tomb wore two swords suggests that there had been active exchange between Bactria and Sarmathia. It seemed that the reason why the Sarmathians could play an important role in the exchange between the East and the West might have something to do with their role of supplying Chinese goods to Silk Road. That's why we are interested in how the copper mirrors of Han Dynasty, decoration beads like melon-type beads, crystal beads and goldring articulated beads, and the artifacts of South China which produced silks were excavated in the northern steppe route where the Sarmathians actively worked. Our study have established that the eye beads discovered in Sarmathian tomb estimated to have been built around the 1st century B.C. were reprocessed in China, and then imported to Sarmathia again. We should note the Huns as a medium between the Sarmathians and the South China which were far apart from each other. Thus gold-ring articulated beads which were spread out mainly across the South China has been discovered in the Huns' remains. On the other hand, between 2nd century B.C. and 2nd century A.D. which were main periods of the Sarmathians, it was considered that the traffic route connecting the steppe route and the South China might be West-South silk road which started from Yunnan, passed through Myanmar, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, and then went into the east of India. The West-south Silk road is presumed to have been used by nomadic tribes who wanted to get the goods from South China before the Oasis route was activated by the Han Dynasty's policy of managing the countries bordering on Western China.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Costume
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• v.35
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• pp.45-66
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• 1997

This thesis is a study on the kaftan styles iin Asia. The purpose of he study was to examine the origin o the kaftan concentrating on the history and cultural backgrounds of nomads in he Western Central and North Eastern Asia. Secondly for more thorough study and expla-nation on how these kaftans contributed to East-West trade along the silk road. wall paintings and miniature illuminations along Oasis roads persia and Saracen period were compared, Also real kaftans were compared and analyzed the characteristics of Western (Turkey palestine) Central(Kazakistan Uz-bekistan Tadzhistan Qyrgyztan Turkmenistan) and the North Eastern Asian(Mongol) area. Thirdly an attempt has been made to provide the North Eastern Asian(Mongol) area. Thirdly an attempt has been made to provide the style classifications according to their peculiarities of the various kaftans as well as how kaftan gave important influences on custumes of different religious sects. The kaftan is a long coat-like garment with front openings fastened with long sash having an extra long sleeves which were worn by middle and high class nomadics throughout the West Central and North Eastern Asia This type of kaftans were a basic clothing for nomadics since they were constantly moving fromone to another areas on their horse back riding. They also wore tight trousers with boots. Kaftans seem to be originated from nomads of Steppe around B.C. 800 On B. C 400 west asian areas such as Solokha Kul-oba Kulogan had pictures sculptues on vases showing kaftans of half coat type length with front opening tied with band. Also the materials used were the products of animals such as wool or felt with animal designs showing Scythian nomads. In the North Eastern Asia Hsiung-Nu were active in Kazakha North Altai and Mongol The Clothing and fabrics exfavated near Noin-ula Pazyrik showed many samples of kaftan with trousers with other interment be-longings with a corpse around B.C 300 to A. D 100 when trades along the silk roads were proven by many historians Kaftans excavated in this area wore red front opening silk materials which suggesting settling down of nomads. in he central Asia Dol-gull near Altai mountain area were mainly miners who later had many trades with Persia and Bizantine. After Dol-gull Bezeklik temple Samarkant Kizil cow Budda sculture wall paintings of Astana tomb showed typical kaftan of this re-gion. These were both hip covered length as well as long coat with narrow sleeves. Es-pecially they had different color band fron the main kaftan with grogeously and splendously designed silk. In perusia during A. D 1400 to 1600 minia-ture illumination showed kaftan as a high class symbol more than clothing purpose. They had best quality silk with extra long sleeves draping and had a layers of kaftans one on top of anther as a symbol of wealth These Kaftans with different colors and designs were even more beautiful with their effective combinations and contrast of colors. On the other hand the lower class common people and servants wore simple kaftan with the front part of the kaftan were slipped into the belt in order to be more active and con-venient to work, The real kaftans discovered at Topkapi Saray palace of Turkey from A. D 1300 to 1900 were also compared. These kaftans were very numerous in numbers as well as designs The materials and designs used were also vari-ous such as Chinese to Italian silk. The shaped and pattern itself were not much different from the previous nomad's Kaftans. The Palestian kaftans remained were from the beginning of 19th and 20th century. Since this area is hot and dry desert they used black and navy blue colors mostly in order to exclude the sun lights. The patterns used were similar to Nomads and Bedouin with cross stiches and patch work decorations. In the central Asia they had similar life style and natural environmental cnditions with Turkish tribe which resulted in similar kaftan styles as nomads. Mongols conserved basic patterns of kaftan since Cinggis Khan with deep folding in order to keep warm. At last the kaftans studided in this thesis were classified in to four such as half coat long coat jacket and vest style. A pattern used in the Central Asia were zigzag and ani-mal design whereas in the West Asia were floral plant arabesk and circle pattern. As I discussed previously kaftan styles of nomads in the Asia maintained its basic pat-tern throughout the history except slight changes in color gusset sleeve shapes. These slight changes were made according to the need to adapt the need of environmental natu-ral conditions, The reason for aboriginality of kaftan in Asia was its simplicity and con-venience Most interesting fact is that for all these years Mongols are still wearing kaftan in their life ensuring us that they art the preserves of old kaftan. Since this thesis dealt enormous Asian regions I had a limitation of not being able to cover the Far Esatern asian areas such as Korea China and Japan how these kaftans were influenced in their clothing history as well as Eastern and Western culture. This topic along with the studies on materials and designs of patterns of kaftan will be another research project in the future.