The Journal of The Korean Association of Geographic and Environmental Education ISSN:1226-511X(Print) 2586-5641(Online) 한국지리환경교육학회지

This paper analyzes Saminpilji, the first Korean world geography textbook written in Hangul by Homer Hulbert, and explores the impact of its structure and content on Korean society at the time. Saminpilji, written in 1886 while Hulbert was teaching at Yukyeong Park, played an important role in providing new insights into world geography and Western civilization, which were largely unfamiliar to Koreans at the time. The book is seen as more than just a geography textbook, as it served as a guide for Korea on how to understand and respond to the world in the context of modernization. However, Saminpilji reflects a Western-centric perspective by focusing on Western civilization and devaluing non-Western regions. While this perspective may have been necessary during Korea’s modernization process, it needs to be critically examined from a contemporary standpoint. In conclusion, Saminpilji helped establish a foundation for Korea’s engagement with Western civilization and modernization, but its Western-centric view should be reconsidered in light of modern perspectives. Moreover, today’s education must not only offer a balanced worldview but also provide clear standards and directions for the future, highlighting the significance of the lessons from Saminpilji.