8,934 books of Professor Yoshida Yutaka, a Japanese eminent historian

Documents on modern and contemporary political history and military relations in Japan … High value of research materials on modern history of Korea and East Asia

Acquisition by Seokoh Cultural Foundation and donation to YU Library for historical development between Korea and Japan

[February 17, 2023]

<Catalog of “Yoshida Yutaka/Seokoh Library” of YU Library>

Central Library of YU (President CHOI Oe-chool) published the catalog of “Yoshida Yutaka/Seokoh Library” possessed by Honorary Professor Yoshida Yutaka (Hitotsubashi University), a famous Japanese historian.

“Yoshida Yutaka/Seokoh Library” consists of the documents on modern and contemporary political history and military relations in Japan collected by Professor Yoshida for more than 40 years and is evaluated as valuable data for the research and development of modern history in Korea and East Asia. Especially, it contains many materials with high historical value, such as diaries and experiences of former Japanese soldiers, and photographic materials. 

Seokoh Cultural Foundation (Chairman YOON Dong-han) acquired the books of Professor Yoshida and donated them to YU Library in 2020 to support relational and historical development between Korea and Japan. YU Central Library named them “Yoshida Yutaka/Seokoh Library” in honor of the will of Professor Yoshida and Seokoh Cultural Foundation and designated as a library in a separate space in the library.

<Yoshida Yutaka/Seokoh Library>

 YU Central Library published a catalog of 8,934 books through preparations for three years for good utilization of historically highly valuable books. The catalog states bibliographic items of the books in full in the order of signatures and indexes of authors are attached for easy searching by researchers. Also, the books may be searched and the list may be found online through the cyber donation book DB of the library’s website.

 Seokoh Cultural Foundation expressed its expectation that the catalog becomes the motive to inform modern and contemporary Japanese history and military history, to set history right, and to encourage many studies. 

 YU Central Library intends to distribute Yoshida Yutaka/Seokoh Library free of charge to domestic-related agencies and to hold a special lecture on historical studies on Korea-Japan relations with an invitation of Professor Yoshida in around May 2023.