Korean Identity and colonialism In the Total War of the 20th Century

The cultural identity of Korean society underwent several changes in the 20th century, changes which were influenced by periodic circumstances such as Japanese colonial rule, the division of the Korean peninsula, and the Cold War system. In this regard, Japanese colonialism, which forcibly sought to alter the life culture of Koreans during the early 20th century, continued to have a deep influence on the cultural identity of Koreans up to the advent of the Cold War era and the division of the Korean peninsula. However, attempts to perceive Korean culture and identity during the 20th century solely from the standpoint of colonial Joseon or the divided state known as the Republic of Korea (ROK)can be regarded as being excessively and unnecessarily limited. First, such an approach does not take into account the fact that the cultural identity of Korea in the 20th century was formed in large part through the establishment of relationships with other countries which belonged to the Japanese empire or to the United States-led democratic order. Second, such a unilateral analysis of cultural identity does not leave any room for the dual identity of Koreans, which were both the victims of colonialism and victimizers who took advantage of colonialism. This study analyzes the Korean culture of the 20th century from the standpoint of the total war system of the imperial camp. It is of course impossible to explain overall Korean culture and identity during the 20th century solely from the standpoint of the total war system. However, it is possible to analyze the influence which Japanese colonialism exercised before and after World War II based on the total war system. Moreover, the analysis of Korean culture during the 20th century can also be conducted at the East Asian level. Korean’s participation in the Vietnam War during the mid-1960s stands as a clear example of the process through which the remnants of the colonialism associated with the total war system of the Japanese imperial forces were revived within Korean society. The Park Chung-hee regime identified Vietnam as a foothold which Korea could use to spread its influence throughout East Asia and the rest of the international community. In this regard, participation in the Vietnam War was rationalized as an important step in Korea’s efforts to make its ‘entrance’ on the world stage. During this process, the attributes associated with the pro-Japanese Koreans who had pursued an identity as second class citizens while jumping on the Japanese imperial bandwagon were reproduced within Korean society via the nation’s participation in the total war system of the United States-led democratic camp. What’s more, as part of this process, the Vietnamese people were subjected to racism and labeled as inferior beings. Korea’s participation in the Vietnam War was characterized as a sign of the country’s acceptance as a nation-state within the democratic camp, and the nation proudly regarded itself as a country that could even export its culture. However, from the moment it began to participate in the total war system of the United States-led camp and to shroud this move under the veil of gaining ‘entry’ to the world, Korea in effect became a nation that did not move towards the achievement of post-colonialism, but rather an entity that was once again captured by the colonialism it had been subjected to under Japanese imperial rule.