Yemaek

Yemaek (濊貊) were a people of Koreans who resided in ancient Manchuria. Whether they were: homogenous; heterogenous of Ye 濊 and Maek 貊; or whether Yemaek were a branch of Maek remains debated. However, the most accepted model is that they were ethnolinguistically identical but remained socially and politically disparate identities. The first Yemaek state to appear were 朝鮮 Old Chosŏn that fell in 108 BC. They were renamed Old Chosŏn after Joseon were later founded in 1392 AD: ostensibly as a successor state to Old Chosŏn. Yemaek together with Han 韓 acted as the foundations for the formation of the Korean national identity. Of the three kingdoms who succeeded in forming centralised bureaucracy, 高句麗 (Koguryŏ) had the strongest connection with Yemaek whereas 新羅 (Silla) had stronger Han identity and 百濟 (Baekje) were considered something in-between. Thus, the study of Yemaek is inevitably centralised around Koguryŏ.

It remains controversial whether Koguryŏ were: Ye; Maek; Yemaek; a branch of Yemaek; or Ye whose exonym were Maek due to sparse indigenous sources. However, it does appear Koguryŏ had been an accumulation of many peoples such as Daesu Maek (大水貊), Sosu Maek (小水貊) and purportedly Yang Maek (梁貊). Furthermore, people who resided in the river basin of Amnok River began to be referred to as Maek somewhere near Anno Domini and it's hypothesised they amalgamated with Ye whom migrated from Puyŏ. They further accelerated their expansion by further conquering nearby tribes, thus forming a unified Yemaek identity under one sovereign.