A map on Wikipedia shows the Great Wall of China extending to Pyongyang, sparking controversy over historical distortion as part of China’s Northeast Project. (this photo provided by Professor Seo Kyung-duk’s team)

China’s historical distortions are reaching new extremes. Recently, a map on the online encyclopedia Wikipedia showing the Great Wall of China extending to Pyongyang has sparked widespread controversy. 

Professor Seo Kyung-duk of Sungshin Women’s University, who has been actively monitoring China’s Northeast Project, stated, “Many Koreans living around the world have reported distortions regarding the Great Wall of China,” adding, “We have confirmed that the Great Wall has been falsely depicted as extending to Pyongyang in North Korea.”

Professor Seo further pointed out, “The biggest issue is that the map file of the Great Wall on Wikipedia is being widely shared across various global social media platforms,” urging people to be aware of this issue.

The Great Wall was originally built during the Qin Dynasty under Emperor Qin Shi Huang to defend against invasions by northern nomadic tribes. Most of the remaining sections of the wall date back to the Ming Dynasty in the 15th century.

The Great Wall, stretching approximately 6,352 kilometers, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987. However, following the Northeast Project, its length was extended to 8,851 kilometers in 2009, and in 2012, sections built by the Goguryeo and Balhae Kingdoms, with entirely different construction methods, were included. This extended the total length to 21,196 kilometers. Now, the wall is shown as extending all the way to Pyongyang.

Professor Seo emphasized his intention to send a formal complaint to correct the inaccurate information about the Great Wall on Wikipedia. He also announced plans to conduct a multilingual video campaign to counter China’s Northeast Project, as well as its claims over cultural elements like Kimchi and Hanbok, to spread accurate information globally.

It appears that our government and historians should also take an active interest in addressing China’s historical and cultural distortions.