By Yoo Dong-ho
Staff Reporter

South Korea will not make any concessions in dealing with China’s attempts to claim sovereignty of the ancient Korean kingdom of Koguryo, Deputy Foreign Affairs-Trade Minister Lee Soo-hyuck said Monday.

``The government will not back down on its plans to make corrections of erroneous historical records,’’ Lee said during a policy coordination meeting between the government and the ruling Uri Party.

Lee’s remark comes amid brewing bitter disputes between South Korea and China over historical records involving the ancient nation.

The participants in the meeting agreed to set up a pan-governmental panel to address the matter that will consist of officials from relevant agencies.

Government officials noted the new body will be formed as an umbrella of the National Security Council (NSC).

South Korea has been facing a growing dilemma over the matter as it needs help from the Chinese side in mediating the protracted nuclear standoff over the North Korean nuclear weapons program.

Saying the Chinese government’s distortion of ancient Korean history was ``very regrettable,’’ Lee said the South Korean government will map out short- and long-term countermeasures to restore the nation’s history.

China infuriated the Korean people when it deleted from its foreign ministry Web site all references to Korea before the creation of the South Korean government in 1948.

Labeling the China-proposed Seoul-Beijing academic forum as a makeshift solution, the Seoul government said it will hold fast to its plan to demand Beijing restore the deleted Web site material and pledge no recurrence of such an incident.

``China is trying to sway the identity and pride of our country from its roots by claiming sovereignty over Koguryo,’’ Uri Party’s floor leader Chun Chung-bae said, adding, ``We will demand China face the historical truth and restore the falsified information.’’

Chun, however, said that his party should not get carried away in dealing with the issue. ``We will make a bipartisan approach as well as seek cooperation from North Korea.’’

The Seoul government’s stepped-up rhetoric marks a significant shift from its hitherto ``low-key’’ stance on the Koguryo dispute.

A day earlier, President Roh Moo-hyun indicated that the rift among South Korea, China and Japan over historical records should be handled in an academic manner, not in an emotional or political way.

Related government officials, politicians, scholars and civic group leaders will meet Wednesday for a symposium on the Koguryo issue.

Koguryo, which controlled the northern part of the Korean peninsula and much of what is today’s Manchuria, China, from 37 B.C. to A.D. 668, has been a bone of contention between South Korea and China in recent months.

yoodh@koreatimes.co.kr