A book widely dismissed by mainstream historians, "Hwandan Gogi" claims that an ancient Korean state known as Hwanguk ruled much of Asia around 9,000 years ago, with some adherents even asserting links to Sumer, one of the world’s earliest civilizations. Published in 1979 by pseudo-historian Lee Yu-rip, who claimed to have based it on a 1911 text by a religious figure, the book has been rejected by scholars due to a lack of evidence and unclear origins. The long-dismissed book resurfaced amid controversy after President Lee Jae Myung mentioned it publicly, sparking criticism over the appropriateness of referencing pseudo-history in official discourse. During last week’s Education Ministry's annual policy briefing, Lee asked Park Ji-hang, president of the Northeast Asian History Foundation, whether the foundation had shown interest in derogatory terms used against followers of Hwandan Gogi. “There seems to be a difference in perspectives over how history should be viewed and from what standpoint,” Lee said, after Park responded that professional scholars’ theories are far more p