Nationalism in South Korea

According to a study by BR Myers as of 2010, state-based nationalism or patriotism in South Korea is weak, compared with the more salient race-based nationalism.[4][5] As a result, some commentators have described the South Korean state in the eyes of South Koreans as constituting "an unloved republic".[6][7] Whereas in North Korea, most of its citizens view their state and race as being the same thing,[4][5] most South Koreans on the other hand tend to see the minjok (민족; "Korean nation" or "Korean race") and their [South Korean] state as being separate entities due to the existence of a competing Korean state in North Korea. According to Korea scholar Brian Reynolds Myers, a professor at Dongseo University, while race-based nationalism in North Korea strengthens patriotism towards the state and vice versa,[6] in South Korea it undermines it:

Anglophones tend to use the words nation and state more or less interchangeably, but when one nation is divided into two states, it's important to stick to the [South] Koreans' own practice of distinguishing clearly between nationalism (minjokjuŭi) and patriotism / state spirit (aeguksim, kukka chŏngsin, kukkajuŭi, etc). Historians do this even in English when discussing the Weimar Republic, where nationalism undermined support for the state – and for liberal democracy – just as it does in South Korea today.

— Brian Reynolds Myers, "On Experts and Exegetes" (September 6, 2017), Sthele Press[8]

Due to traditional state support for race nationalism fostered during the 20th century, South Koreans have come to view positive achievements as being a result of inherent racial characteristics, whereas negative events are attributed to the incompetence and malevolence of the South Korean state:[5][6][9]

South Korean nationalism is something quite different from the patriotism toward the state that Americans feel. Identification with the Korean race is strong, while that with the Republic of Korea is weak.

— Brian Reynolds Myers, "South Korea's Collective Shrug" (May 27, 2010), The New York Times.[4]

It is said that one of the reasons the South Korean state during the 20th century decided to extol race-based nationalism over civic nationalism was that being an right-wing authoritarian military junta at the time, it did not want to extol republican principles that might be used to criticize it in turn.[6] That said, civic state-based nationalism was said to have been stronger during those years than in contemporary post-democratization South Korea, albeit still tenuous. Ironically, though fostered by a right-wing regime at the time, today race nationalism in South Korea is shared left-wing politics.[10] For instance, when the South Korean pledge of allegiance was reworded in 2007 to use less racialist "minjok" language, it was left-leaning South Koreans who notably objected to a change.[11] However, many left-leaning South Koreans oppose the concept of danil minjok (단일민족, "monoethnic") and "pure-blood" (순혈 or 순수혈통), which was supported by far-right Ilminists and Park Chung-hee Thoughtists in the past.[12] Left-leaning South Koreans in South Korea are often more friendly to immigration and multiracialism than right-wing South Koreans. In particular, left-leaning South Koreans argue that race-based Korean ethnic nationalism has nothing to do with right-wing autocratic military junta.[13][lower-alpha 1]

South Koreans' lack of state-based nationalism (or patriotism) manifests itself in various ways in the country's society. For example, there is no national holiday solely commemorating the state itself and many South Koreans do not know the exact date their country was founded.[6] The closest analogue, Constitution Day, ceased to be a national holiday in 2008.[5] The Liberation Day holiday, which is celebrated each August, shares its date with the establishment of the South Korean state. However, celebrations during the holiday choose to forgo commemorations of the South Korean state or its establishment in favor of focusing and extolling other aspects.[6] As a result, many South Koreans do not know the exact date their own state was established,[6] in contrast to North Koreans, who do.[5] In contrast, a holiday marking the mythological formation of the "Korean race" in 2333 BC is commemorated with a national holiday in South Korea each October.[6]

The "Hell Chosun" phenomenon and a desire among many South Koreans to immigrate have also been cited as an example of South Koreans' general lack of nationalistic patriotism towards their state.[7] The lack of state-based nationalism manifests itself in diplomacy as well; the lack of a strong, resolute response by South Korea to North Korea's attacks against it in 2010 (i.e. the sinking of ROKS Cheonan and the bombardment of Yeonpyeong) has been attributed to the former's lack of state-aligned nationalistic sentiment, as these attacks were viewed as mere affronts against the state.[15][16] In contrast, Japanese claims to South Korean-claimed territory are seen as affronts against the Korean race and are thus responded to with more vigor from South Koreans.

Even state symbols that are ostensibly civic in nature, such as the national anthem, state emblem, and national flag contain racial nationalist references (such as the mugunghwa flower) instead of republican or civic ones.[6] Thus, the South Korean flag is often seen by South Koreans as representing the "Korean race" rather than merely South Korea itself.[17][18] As a result, the vast majority of South Koreans will almost always treat their national flag with reverence and respect, compared to other countries where citizens would desecrate their own national flags as political statements or in protest.[6] This weak state-based nationalism was reflected in the pre-2011 South Korean military oath and pre-2007 pledge of allegiance, both of which pledged allegiance to the "Korean race" over the state.[5][19]

One of the reasons put forth to explain South Koreans' lack of support or affinity for the South Korean state is due to a popular misconception that only North Korea purged its regime of pro-Japanese collaborators of the colonial period and that South Korea did not, while in reality the former did not do so.[4][5][20] Another reason given is that South Koreans view their interactions with their state in negative contexts, such as when having to report for mandatory military service or paying fines.[6]

ROK nationalists support the possession of nuclear weapons because they are wary of North Korea and neighboring powers. However, South Korea does not currently have nuclear weapons.

Major countries surrounding South Korea, including the United States, China, Russia, and North Korea, have nuclear weapons, and state nationalist sentiment has strengthened in South Korea, especially as North Korea's nuclear development intensifies. As of 2023, 70% of South Korean people support South Korea's development and possession of nuclear weapons.[21]

Many conservatives in South Korea are nationalists,[lower-alpha 2] but they are somewhat different from the "Korean nationalist" tradition. South Korean conservatives are known to oppose the Sunshine Policy based on Korean nationalism. They are less tolerant of immigrant rights and multiculturalism than liberals and progressives who support diplomatic Korean nationalism. In South Korea, simply "nationalism" (민족주의 or 내셔널리즘) mainly means "Korean nationalism".[22]

South Korean liberals have weaker ROK nationalism or statist nationalism than conservatives, and Korean nationalism stands out. However, this is in a relative sense, and unlike leftists/progressives, conservatives and liberals both support a form of ROK nationalism or ststist nationalism with different directions.[3][23]

In South Korea, they are usually referred to as "statism" or "statist nationalism" (국가주의) rather than "nationalism" (민족주의 or 내셔널리즘).

• Americanization
• Chinilpa – Some early ROK nationalists, including Park Chung-hee, were from Chinilpa.
• National Security Act (South Korea)
• Nationalism in North Korea