신채호
In his seminal work "Doksa Sillon", Shin Chaeho redefined the subject of Korean national history from only the Korean Peninsula both towards the outer limits of "Manchuria" and to that of the "racially defined nation" ("minjok"). By defining Korean history as that of the "minjok", he could argue that Goguryeo, Silla, and Baekje, despite frequent wars between each other, were "of the same "minjok" and consequently of the same history". However, the conception of a Korean nation as being bounded by the Yalu and Tumen rivers was reinforced by Confucian histories of Joseon that did not confer legitimacy on dynasties that held such extreme northern territory. Shin Chaeho particularly resented this confinement, considering the fall of Goguryeo and the loss of "Korean" control over its extrapeninsular territory as the beginning of the "minjok"'s decline. He wrote: "When the Korean "minjok" obtains Manchuria, the Korean "minjok" is strong and prosperous. When another [Eastern or Northern] "minjok" obtains Manchuria... then Korea [Han'guk] enters that... [Eastern or Northern] "minjok"'s sphere of power... This is an iron rule that has not changed for four thousand years", a sentiment with which a large number of contemporary Koreans agree. In this lament, Shin found common cause with Imperial Japanese historians of the "Mansenshi" school, who wished to portray the Korean peninsula and the Asian continent as inseparable, but with the obverse goal of undermining ideas of Korean independence. Not only did Shin, but also the fellow nationalist historian Park Eun-sik consider Manchuria the foundation on which to build a powerful "Greater Korea".