{"id":5946,"date":"2007-09-20T15:18:28","date_gmt":"2007-09-20T20:18:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.froginawell.net\/korea\/2007\/09\/ethnocentrism-and-the-origins-of-korean-nationalism\/"},"modified":"2014-08-30T14:22:21","modified_gmt":"2014-08-30T14:22:21","slug":"ethnocentrism-and-the-origins-of-korean-nationalism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/froginawell.net\/frog\/2007\/09\/ethnocentrism-and-the-origins-of-korean-nationalism\/","title":{"rendered":"Ethnocentrism and the Origins of Korean Nationalism"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the opinion pages of the 2007.09.17 issue of Chosun Ilbo<\/a>, there is an article<\/a> which discusses the nationalism (\ubbfc\uc871\uc8fc\uc758) of Korea’s “386 generation<\/a>.” The main point of the article is to dissect and critique the “pro-North leftists” (\uce5c\ubd81\uc88c\ud30c), laud the rise of the new cooler “post-386 generation”, and discuss the alternative visions offered by Korea’s New Right movement (\ub274 \ub77c\uc774\ud2b8). The article opens, however, with a nostalgic visit to “Intro to Nationalism 101” and a little bit of history.<\/p>\n

\"Newright\"<\/a> The first half of special is written by Shin Ji-ho (\uc2e0\uc9c0\ud638), a self-declared former leftist activist who abandoned the revolution, went on to get a PhD in political science from Keio in Tokyo and become the president of what appears to be the institutional embodiment of the New Right’s political wing, the Liberty Union<\/a> (\uc790\uc720\uc8fc\uc758\uc758\uc5f0\ub300<\/a>), the website of which is cleverly located at the appropriately post-386 internet location of 486.or.kr. Now, the Liberty Union should not be mixed up with the Korean Freedom League<\/a> which is a distinctly “Old Right” organization that used to go by the name of the “Korea Anti-Communist League” and before that the “Asian People’s Anti-Communist League<\/a>” (which should not to be mixed up with its sister organization, the World League for Freedom and Democracy<\/a> based in Taiwan, which used to be known as the World Anti-Communist League<\/a>). Indeed, as the English version of its website shows, the Liberty Union simply wants what, apparently, all Korean organizations with websites want: unpolluted skies, green fields, impossibly green trees, beautiful rainbows, blue butterflies, and cute children holding flowers.<\/p>\n

Shin’s article is faithful to the stated principles of neo-liberalism<\/a> of his organization, but he also makes the case for a form of “patriotic globalism” (\uc560\uad6d\uc801 \uc138\uacc4\uc8fc\uc758) which is based on a pride in a country which protects freedom and champions republicanism. As he explains it:<\/p>\n

\uc9c4\uc815\ud55c \uc560\uad6d\uc740 \ub3d9\uc77c\ud55c \ud608\uc5f0, \uc5b8\uc5b4, \ubb38\ud654\uc5d0\uc11c \ub098\uc624\ub294 \uc120\ucc9c\uc801, \uc0dd\ub798\uc801 \uac10\uc815\uc774 \uc544\ub2c8\ub77c, \uac1c\uc778\uc758 \uc790\uc720\uc640 \ubc88\uc601\uc744 \ubcf4\uc7a5\ud574\uc8fc\ub294 \uad6d\uac00\uacf5\ub3d9\uccb4\uc5d0 \ub300\ud55c \ud6c4\ucc9c\uc801, \uc778\uacf5\uc801 \uc5f4\uc815\uc5d0\uc11c \ube44\ub86f\ub41c\ub2e4. \uace0\ub85c \uc790\uc720\uacf5\ud654\uad6d\ub9cc\uc774 \uc9c4\uc815\ud55c \uc560\uad6d\uc758 \ub300\uc0c1\uc774 \ub420 \uc218 \uc788\ub2e4. \uc774\uac83\uc774 \ubc14\ub85c \u2018\uacf5\ud654\uc8fc\uc758\uc801 \uc560\uad6d\u2019\uc774\uba70 \u2018\ubbfc\uc871\uc8fc\uc758 \uc5c6\ub294 \uc560\uad6d\u2019\uc774\ub2e4.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

There is material to work with here, but the real clash between post-nationalists of different political leanings is not so much on the technical details of what we should call the cosmopolitanism of the future, but how it will address social injustice and whether it will embrace unfettered market liberalism. Not a debate I want to bring up here.<\/p>\n

However, it is very interesting to me to see in articles, like these, how easily the “New Right” can expose the hypocrisy and backwardness of the nationalism of Korea’s mainstream left, and champion, with apparent ease, the forces of tolerance, international cooperation, and cosmopolitan identities. There is much in common here between the cosmopolitan conservatives of Korea and those within Taiwan’s (now ironically named) Nationalist party (\u570b\u6c11\u9ee8). <\/p>\n

Now the real reason I wanted to bring up this article was to point out something from Shin’s opening “Intro to Nationalism 101” which goes like this:
\n<\/p>\n

\u2018\ubbfc\uc871\uc758 \uc720\uad6c\ud55c 5\ucc9c\ub144 \uc5ed\uc0ac\u2019\ub77c\ub294 \ud45c\ud604\uacfc \ub2ec\ub9ac \ubbfc\uc871\uc774\ub77c\ub294 \ub9d0\uc740 19\uc138\uae30\uae4c\uc9c0 \uc6b0\ub9ac \uc120\uc870\ub4e4\uc758 \uc5b8\uc5b4\uc138\uacc4\uc5d0 \uc874\uc7ac\ud558\uc9c0 \uc54a\uc558\ub2e4. \uc774\uc720\ub294 \uac04\ub2e8\ud558\ub2e4. \ubbfc\uc871\uc740 \uadfc\ub300\uc758 \uc0b0\ubb3c\uc774\uae30 \ub54c\ubb38\uc774\ub2e4. \uc601\ud55c\uc0ac\uc804\uc5d0\uc11c nation\uc744 \ucc3e\uc544\ubcf4\uba74 \ubbfc\uc871, \uad6d\ubbfc, \uad6d\uac00\ub77c\ub294 \uc138 \uac00\uc9c0 \ub73b\uc774 \ub098\uc628\ub2e4. \uadfc\ub300\uad6d\uac00 \uac74\uc124\uc740 nation-building\uc774\ub77c\uace0 \ud55c\ub2e4. \ubbfc\uc871\uc740 \uc11c\uc720\ub7fd\uc5d0\uc11c \ubd09\uac74\uc9c8\uc11c\ub97c \ud574\uccb4\ud558\uace0 \uadfc\ub300\uad6d\uac00\ub97c \uac74\uc124\ud558\ub294 \uacfc\uc815\uc5d0\uc11c \uc778\uc704\uc801\uc73c\ub85c \ub9cc\ub4e4\uc5b4\uc9c4 \uac1c\ub150\uc774\ub2e4. \ubd09\uac74\uc81c\uc758 \uc9c0\ubc29\ubd84\uad8c\uc801 \uc601\uc8fc-\ub18d\ub178\uad00\uacc4\ub97c \uccad\uc0b0\ud558\uace0 \ub2e4\uc591\ud55c \uc885\uc871(ethnic groups)\uc744 \ud55c\ub370 \uc5ee\uc5b4 \uc911\uc559\uc9d1\uad8c\uc801 \uad6d\ubbfc\uad6d\uac00\ub97c \uac74\uc124\ud558\uae30 \uc704\ud574 \u2018\ud558\ub098\uc758 \ubb38\ud654\uc640 \ud558\ub098\uc758 \uc5b8\uc5b4\u2019\ub97c \uc9c0\ub2cc \u2018\ud558\ub098\uc758 \ubbfc\uc871\u2019\uc774\ub77c\ub294 \u2018\uc0c1\uc0c1(\u60f3\u50cf)\uc758 \uacf5\ub3d9\uccb4\u2019\uac00 \ud544\uc694\ud588\ub358 \uac83\uc774\ub2e4. \uadf8\ub798\uc11c \ubbfc\uc871\uc740 \uace7 \uad6d\ubbfc\uc774 \ub418\uace0 \uad6d\uac00\uac00 \ub41c\ub2e4.<\/p>\n

\uadf8\ub7f0\ub370 \uc6b0\ub9ac\uc758 \ubbfc\uc871\uc8fc\uc758\ub294 \uc774\uc640 \uada4\ub97c \ub2ec\ub9ac\ud55c\ub2e4. \ud55c\ubc18\ub3c4 \ubbfc\uc871\uc8fc\uc758\ub294 \uc77c\uc81c \uce68\ub7b5\uc5d0 \ub300\ud55c \uc548\ud2f0\ud14c\uc81c\ub85c \ucd9c\ubc1c\ud588\ub2e4. \ud574\uc11c \uadfc\ub300\uad6d\uac00 \uac74\uc124\uc774\ub77c\ub294 \uae0d\uc815\uacfc \ucc3d\uc870\uc758 \uc774\ub370\uc62c\ub85c\uae30\uac00 \uc544\ub2c8\ub77c, \uc81c\uad6d\uc8fc\uc758\ud0c0\ub3c4\uc640 \ubbfc\uc871\ud574\ubc29\uc774\ub77c\ub294 \ubd80\uc815\uacfc \ud30c\uad34\uc758 \uc774\ub370\uc62c\ub85c\uae30\ub85c \uae30\ub2a5\ud588\ub2e4. \ub2e8\uad70\uc774 \uc2dc\uc870\ub85c \ubaa8\uc154\uc9c0\uace0 \ubc31\ub450\uc0b0\uc774 \ubbfc\uc871\uc758 \uc601\uc0b0(\uf9b3\u5c71)\uc774 \ub41c \uac83\ub3c4 \uc774 \uc2dc\uae30\ub2e4. \uc694\ucee8\ub300 \uc77c\uc81c 36\ub144\uc740 \ubbfc\uc871\ud615\uc131\uc758 \uc2dc\ub300\uc774\uae30\ub3c4 \ud588\ub2e4.<\/p>\n

\ud55c\ubc18\ub3c4 \ubbfc\uc871\uc8fc\uc758\uc758 \ub450 \ubc88\uc9f8 \ud2b9\uc9d5\uc740 \ub2e8\uc77c\ubbfc\uc871\uad6d\uac00 \uc2e0\ud654\uc5d0 \uc788\ub2e4. \ud55c\ubc18\ub3c4\ub97c \uc81c\uc678\ud55c \uc804 \uc138\uacc4 \ubaa8\ub4e0 \uad6d\uac00\ub294 \uc608\uc678 \uc5c6\uc774 \ub2e4\ubbfc\uc871\uad6d\uac00\ub2e4. \ubfcc\ub9ac\uac00 \ub2e4\ub974\uace0 \ubb38\ud654\uac00 \ub2e4\ub978 \uc0ac\ub78c\ub4e4\uc774 \uacf5\ub3d9\uc758 \ubaa9\ud45c\ub97c \uc704\ud574 \uad6d\uac00\ub77c\ub294 \uacf5\ub3d9\uccb4\ub97c \uac74\uc124, \uc6b4\uc601\ud558\uace0 \uc788\ub2e4. \uadf8\ub7ec\ub098 \ud55c\ubc18\ub3c4\ub294 \ub2e4\ub974\ub2e4. \uad6d\uac00\ub294 \ud608\uc5f0\uacf5\ub3d9\uccb4\uc640 \ub4f1\uce58\ub418\uace0 \uc788\ub2e4. \uadf8 \uacb0\uacfc, \ud0c0\ubbfc\uc871\uc5d0 \ub300\ud574 \ubc30\ud0c0\uc801\uc778 \u2018\uc790\ubbfc\uc871 \uc911\uc2ec\uc8fc\uc758(ethnocentrism)\u2019\uac00 \uadf8 \uc5b4\ub290 \uacf3\ubcf4\ub2e4 \uac15\ud558\ub2e4.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In the opening paragraph Shin offers us a standard anti-primordialist description of the modern origins of the nation-state and its status as an “imagined community.” It does seem that Shin was paying attention in his classes at Keio. <\/p>\n

He goes on, however, to suggest that Korean nationalism is different. Two points here for discussion: <\/p>\n

1) He suggests that Korean nationalism arose out of a reaction or as the “antithesis” to the Japanese invasion. It wasn’t born out of an ideology of modern nation-building, but as an ideology of anti-imperialism and national liberation.<\/p>\n

2) Unlike all the other nations in the world Korea alone is a country of one people (\ub2e8\uc77c\ubbfc\uc871\uad6d\uac00, which those who have studied Japan will recognize when we reveal its hanja: \u5358\u4e00\u6c11\u65cf\u56fd\u5bb6<\/a>, as in the topic of one of my favorite books, Oguma Eiji’s \u5358\u4e00\u6c11\u65cf\u795e\u8a71\u306e\u8d77\u6e90<\/a>). Because Korea, alone in the world, is a nation of one people or ethnic group, Shin suggests, Korea has an exclusionist ethnocentrism.<\/p>\n

Shin is not a historian, but I wonder what everyone thinks about these two opening points? <\/p>\n

My own comments:<\/p>\n

1) It is true that Korea is a post-colonial nation and thus, Korean nationalism exhibits some of the classic features that go along with it and its post-liberation history has much in common with other post-colonials. However, that is not the same as saying that Korean nationalism was born as a reaction to Japanese imperialism. This puts us into the historiographical terrain of where to look for the origins of Korean nationalism: Do you point at the 1920s and the rise of mass nationalism at that point? Do you point to the events leading up to 1919 as a founding moment? Or, like Andre Schmid and others, emphasis the late 19th century and early 20th century as a key moment when a lot of the key concepts and themes are fixed? <\/p>\n

Regardless, it is not clear to me that, even if we were to accept the anti-imperialist \/ national liberation point made by Shin that this would made Korea any different – not only from other post-colonial nations, but from many of the classic European cases. I can think of many examples, including Hungarian nationalism, Polish nationalism, Norwegian nationalism, and many others. These nationalisms were born during “dark periods” of domination by a foreign power, and fed upon hatred of the dominating outsider.<\/p>\n

2) This is an interesting question: Can we attribute the ethnocentrism of Korea to the lack of ethnic diversity within its borders? It seems tempting. But think about that for a minute. Think of historical examples of ethnocentrism of the most extreme varieties, where and when were they? Both the place and time are key. I’m no expert on the topic of ethnocentrism and ethnic violence, but I have heard it variously argued that the most powerful and extreme examples are to be found in cases where 1) there is considerable ethnic diversity within a society but the groups are relatively segregated or almost the opposite argument: 2) there is considerable ethnic diversity within a society but the groups are going through serious inter-marriage. If either of these are true, the relative ethnic homogeneity of Korea is not a sufficient condition in explaining its ethnocentrism.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In the opinion pages of the 2007.09.17 issue of Chosun Ilbo, there is an article which discusses the nationalism (\ubbfc\uc871\uc8fc\uc758) of Korea’s “386 generation.” The main point of the article is to dissect and critique the “pro-North leftists” (\uce5c\ubd81\uc88c\ud30c), laud the rise of the new cooler “post-386 generation”, and discuss the alternative visions offered by…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[119,211,61],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5946","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-english","category-korea","category-nationalism"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9yoH3-1xU","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/froginawell.net\/frog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5946","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/froginawell.net\/frog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/froginawell.net\/frog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/froginawell.net\/frog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/froginawell.net\/frog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5946"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/froginawell.net\/frog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5946\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6094,"href":"https:\/\/froginawell.net\/frog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5946\/revisions\/6094"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/froginawell.net\/frog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5946"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/froginawell.net\/frog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5946"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/froginawell.net\/frog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5946"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}