The medieval state of Koryŏ (918-1392) relied on a heavily sinicized military structure to protect the peninsula from its foes across the border.But with the collapse of civil rule and the ascent... Show moreThe medieval state of Koryŏ (918-1392) relied on a heavily sinicized military structure to protect the peninsula from its foes across the border.But with the collapse of civil rule and the ascent to the highest offices of the state by the military in 1170, this system also collapsed, giving way to highly personalized and often improvised army structures. Northeast Asian influences combined with the spreading popularity of the warriors from the north (such as the Mongol), coalescing into the import of the warband to the Korean peninsula. It quickly established itself as the preferred way of organizing it soldiers in the military administration. The adoption of the warband is historically important, because of the political power it came to possess in the 13thcentury. As important is the fact that an important element of a larger Northeast Asian cultural complex entered Koryŏ through the northern. The warband was a Northeast Asian inflection in terms of warfare, but also in terms of the exercise of political power. Evidence showing the popularity of Northeast Asian models and ideals of warriorship among Koryŏ warriors did not stop at the individual level of clothing, armor, and weaponry or at the purely tactical level of fighting techniques and strategies. Strategic and organizational changes were added to what had been a military organization in the Sinitic mold. As such, the warband became the most important and prevalent military organisational principle in 13th-century Korea, ultimately becoming the institute that would decide the fate of the country – and certainly the life and death of its rulers – until the Mongols took over the governing of Koryŏ in the second half of the 13thcentury. Show less
In September 2017, Leiden University opened the Asian Library to house its world renowned and extensive Asian collections. This includes the largest collection on Indonesia worldwide and some of... Show moreIn September 2017, Leiden University opened the Asian Library to house its world renowned and extensive Asian collections. This includes the largest collection on Indonesia worldwide and some of the foremost collections on South and Southeast Asia, China, Japan, and Korea. "Voyage of Discovery" contains more than twenty essays by academics, curators, and authors on their experiences with the Leiden collections. Richly illustrated and showcasing twenty-five treasures from the Asian Library, such as unique manuscripts and rare maps, this book offers a beautiful look inside the Asian Library. Show less
Obvious partners for NATO in the (Far) East are Russia and China. With Russia the Alliancecooperates through the NATO-Russia Council (NRC). China, as a rising international power, canalso no longer... Show moreObvious partners for NATO in the (Far) East are Russia and China. With Russia the Alliancecooperates through the NATO-Russia Council (NRC). China, as a rising international power, canalso no longer be neglected by NATO. But so far only mutual high-level visits have been conducted.Furthermore, as strategic partners, China and Russia share a negative attitude towards the West. Theyhave issued joint statements against the U.S.–Japanese initiative to develop a theatre anti-missilesystem in Asia, NATO enlargement, NATO’s ‘interventionist’ Strategic Concept of 1999 (justifying itsmilitary action in Kosovo), President Bush’s 2002 decision to annul the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treatywith Russia, and against the US/NATO missile defense shield. Furthermore, Moscow and Beijing takethe lead in international (security) organizations in the Far East region: the Collective Security TreatyOrganization (CSTO) and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). Show less
