This article examines the Korean national identity and how China has been viewed by the Blue House petitions that represent the Korean public. I analyze how the Korean public has promoted nationalism through the online petition board and how this reflects public opinion in their disputes against China. Disputes between the two East Asian nations have become more frequent. These disputes are not rare, and in recent years there have been numerous, ranging from a call for a ban on entry, the building of Chinatown, and cultural aspects such as Hanbok and Kimchi. These areas of disagreement represent the growing Sinophobia and nationalism within Korea. By analyzing the frames used in the Blue House petitions, I identify the components of national identity that the citizens are fighting to defend. I argue that despite some changes to the Korean identity and the introduction of multiculturalism, the Korean identity persists in being dominated by ethnic, cultural, and civic nationalism.

Authors:
Jung June Huh, Sungkyunkwan University, South Korea

About the Presenter(s)
Jung June Huh is a doctorate student at the Department of Political Science and Diplomacy at Sungkyunkwan University. His PhD thesis focuses on national identity. He is the New Zealand recipient student under the Global Korea Scholarship program.

Connect on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-huh-8bb50963/

See this presentation on the full schedule – Sunday Schedule

Bookmark