Anti-Korean sentiment
Encyclopedia
Anti-Korean sentiment involves hatred or dislike for Korean people
, culture or either of the two states (North Korea
/South Korea
) on the Korean peninsula
.
and Japan
originating from issues such as nationalism between them.
, have historical roots.
In Japan, modern dislike for Korea can be seen as a response to increasing their own nationalism, and can be traced back to events such as the 2002 FIFA World Cup
.
by Imperial Japan in 1910, Korea became under Japanese influence. Chinese believe that some ethnic Koreans were in the Imperial Japanese Army
which invaded China during the Second Sino-Japanese War
. Additionally, adding to this sentiment is that some Koreans were reported to be involved into the operation of the Burma-Siam Death Railway
.
From a psychological perspective, Chinese are seen as assuming Koreans to be part of a sinocentric East Asian regional order. As a part of this group, Koreans are assumed to be inherently friendly to China. Chinese also emphasize hierarchy within their sinocentric order, where China is at the top of the hierarchy. In contrast, Koreans reject the sinocentric East Asian regional order and emphasize equality in diplomatic relations in East Asia. This rejection leads to conflict of existential identities, threatening the very meaning of being Korean and Chinese. Koreans and Chinese are seen as engaging in a relationship of negative interdependence, potentially comparable to Israeli–Palestinian conflict
.
At the end of World War II
, North Korea, aligned with the Soviet bloc, became friendly with the People's Republic of China
, while the PRC and Republic of Korea did not recognise each other. During the Korean War
, when China was engaged in war with South Korea and its western allies
, efforts through propaganda were placed to intimidate hatred against South Korea, named a "puppet state" of the United States at the time by the PRC government.
From 1992 on, after South Korea's normalization of relations with China, relations with the People's Republic of China gradually improved. Within the Chinese population, Korean art and culture became popular
from 2000 onwards. Amid improvements in relations however, there were also looming anti-South Korean sentiments involved in various disputes between the two countries.
has never been able to win against the South Korean national baseball team, which is the leading cause of frustration and resentment towards Korea amongst baseball fans. Some Taiwanese media made various controversial reports on South Korean baseball players.
Sales of Korean products are not very successful in Taiwan; according to an official from the Korean trade office in Taipei, "the Taiwanese felt very betrayed after Korea severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan and reestablished ties with China in 1992, because the people of Taiwan had seen Korea as an ally in the fight against Communism... Now because the two countries have similar export-oriented economies and focus on the same business sectors, the Taiwanese see Korea as a great rival, and think that losing to Korea would be the end of Taiwan."
More recently Taiwanese citizens protested against the disqualification of a Taekwondo
athlete at the 2010 Asian Games
after a Filipino referee (former South Korean National) disqualified a Taiwanese fighter, calling for a boycott on South Korean goods.
The relations between Japan and Korea have historically been bleak.
During the Joseon Dynasty
, Wokou
pirate raids on Korean soil were frequent, and so there has been general discontent for either side for a long span of time as a result, which would eventually form the basis of hatred between the two sides. Such tensions built up further after the annexation of Korea
in 1910.
During the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake
, widespread damage occurred in a region with a significant Korean population, and much of the local Japanese overreacted to rumors which spread after the earthquake. Within the aftermath of the event, there was a common perception amongst groups of far-right Japanese that ethnic Koreans were poisoning wells
, eventually setting off a killing rampage against Koreans, where Japanese would use the shibboleth
of ba bi bu be bo (ばびぶべぼ) to distinguish ethnic Koreans from Japanese, as it was assumed that Koreans would be unable to pronounce the line correctly, instead as pa, pi, pu, pe, po. All people who failed the test were killed, which caused many ethnic Chinese
and Ryukyuans
, also unable to correctly pronounce the shibboleth, to be indiscriminately killed in large numbers. Other shibboleths used were jū-go-en, go-ji-ssen (15円 50銭) and gagigugego (がぎぐげご), where Japanese people pronounce initial g as [ɡ] and medial g as [ŋ] (such a distinction is dying out in recent years), whereas Koreans pronounce the two sounds as [k] and [ɡ] respectively.
Much of the anti-Korean sentiment present today however deal with contemporary attitudes. During the 2002 FIFA World Cup
, Japanese and Korean supporters clashed with one another, while Japanese media reported the conduct of Korean spectators in a negative fashion. Both sides were also known to post racist messages against each other on online bulletins. There were also disputes regarding how the event was to be hosted, as a result of the rivalry between the two nations. The territorial dispute over Dokdo/Takeshima also fuels outrage within far-right groups. Manga Kenkanryu
(often referred to as Hating the Korean Wave) by Sharin Yamano
discusses these issues while making many other arguments and claims against Korea.
Zainichi Koreans in Japan are also publicly perceived to be a nuisance and are seen as likely to cause trouble and start riots, a view shared by Tokyo
Governor Shintaro Ishihara
. A Zainichi organisation, Chongryon
, is commonly accused of providing funding and material to North Korea
and indoctrinating the Zainichi Korean population to actively hate Japan.
Right-wing groups in Japan today still commonly target ethnic Koreans living within Japan. One such group, known as Zaitokukai
, is organized be members on the internet, and is known to be responsible for leading street demonstrations against Korean schools.
There is also much concern in Japan regarding North Korea
and its nuclear and long-range missile capabilities
, as a result of missile tests in 1993, 1998 and 2006 and an underground nuclear test
in 2006. There are also controversies regarding North Korean abductions of Japanese
, where Japanese citizens were abducted by North Korean agents between 1977 and 1983.
In recent years, Japanese Wikipedia
has a growning number of articles describing Anti-Korean sentiment by applying terms under specific political and emotional context. The counterpart article for this Anti-Korean sentiment is :ja:嫌韓, or literally "Dislike/Hate-Korea", where its representation of the topic is more focused on describing selective and negative images of Koreans, rather than representing the aspects of discrimination.
The introduction of Hallyu
into Japan has created some resentment among pockets in Japanese society. Right wing nationalist groups
in Japan have organized anti-hallyu demonstrations via 2channel
. On 9 August 2011, more than 2,000 protesters demonstrated in front of Fuji TV's headquarters in Odaiba
, Tokyo
against the broadcasting of Korean drama
s. Earlier, in July 2011, well-known actor Sousuke Takaoka
was fired from his agency, Stardust Promotion
, for tweeting against the influx of Korean soaps.
Advertisements and mannerisms within Japan can also be influenced by various racist elements, as within the Japanese public various portions respond favourably to racial stereotypes, such as those relating to ethnic Koreans. As an example, is the Japanese slang term for a point-and-shoot camera (more formally called in Japanese), a term which Koreans take offense due to use of the racial slur "chon" (see below); the namesake is derived from the saying that such cameras are so simple and easy to use that , where the phrase can be used to refer to something that is "foolproof" or "idiot-proof". The term has notably been featured in various advertisements by camera manufacturing companies, and represents a casual use and acceptance of stereotypes and discrimination within aspects of Japanese society.
trips to Mongolia, often as clients of South Korean-run businesses in Mongolia, has also sparked anti-Korean sentiment among Mongolians, and is said to be responsible for the increasing number of assaults on South Korean nationals in the country.
, ethnic Koreans in the Russian Far East
were subject to deportations under the national delimitation policy, with the majority of Koreans relocating to Soviet republics
in Central Asia
.
The deportation was preceded by a typical Soviet scenario of political repression
: falsified trials of local party leaders accused of insurrection, accusations of plans of the secession of the Far Eastern Krai
, local party purges, and articles in Pravda
about the Japanese espionage in the Far East.
The resettlement plans were revived with new vigor in August 1937, ostensibly with the purpose of suppressing "the penetration of the Japanese espionage into the Far Eastern Krai". This time, however, the direction of resettlement was westward, to Soviet Central Asia
. From September to October 1937, more than 172,000 of Soviet Koreans were deported
from the border regions of the Russian Far East
to Kazakh SSR
and Uzbek SSR
(the latter including Karakalpak ASSR).
, although there have also been minor historical incidents.
During the Korean War
, the United States fought a bloody war to assist South Korea
from communist invasion. Since the war, the common perception of North Korea is that of an oppressive state. Anti-communist education in the United States, as well as allied countries such as South Korea.
Following heavy re-militarization and a series of missile tests, Americans were made to fear of a possible attack by a "rogue state
" such as North Korea. In United States
President
George W. Bush
's State of the Union Address
on January 29, 2002, he described North Korea as a part of the "Axis of evil
". Following the Nuclear program of North Korea
and subsequent 2006 North Korean nuclear test
, the United States imposed UN sanctions
on North Korea. These economic sanctions are very unlikely to be lifted by the United States due to North Korea's incompliance to the Six-party talk
agreements.
The Los Angeles riots of 1992 were partially based on Anti-Korean sentiment. Ice Cube
's song Black Korea which would later be accused of inciting racism was written in response to the death of 15-year old African-American Latasha Harlins
, who was shot and killed by Korean-American store owner Soon Ja-du on March 16, 1991, as well as the preponderence of Korean grocery stores in primarily black neighborhoods. The event resulted in mass ransacking and destruction of Korean-American owned stores in Los Angeles
by groups of young African-Americans.
. Many of these terms are viewed as racist
. However, these terms do not necessarily refer to the Korean people as a whole; they can also refer to specific policies, or specific time periods in history.
Korean people
The Korean people are an ethnic group originating in the Korean peninsula and Manchuria. Koreans are one of the most ethnically and linguistically homogeneous groups in the world.-Names:...
, culture or either of the two states (North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
/South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
) on the Korean peninsula
Korean Peninsula
The Korean Peninsula is a peninsula in East Asia. It extends southwards for about 684 miles from continental Asia into the Pacific Ocean and is surrounded by the Sea of Japan to the south, and the Yellow Sea to the west, the Korea Strait connecting the first two bodies of water.Until the end of...
.
Origins
Anti-Korean sentiment is present in the People's Republic of ChinaPeople's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
originating from issues such as nationalism between them.
History
In China, it has only come to prominence recently, due to issues such as the 2008 Olympic Torch Relay; however, some issues, such as the debate over GoguryeoGoguryeo
Goguryeo or Koguryŏ was an ancient Korean kingdom located in present day northern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula, southern Manchuria, and southern Russian Maritime province....
, have historical roots.
In Japan, modern dislike for Korea can be seen as a response to increasing their own nationalism, and can be traced back to events such as the 2002 FIFA World Cup
2002 FIFA World Cup
The 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0...
.
In the People's Republic of China
Korea and China have historically maintained strong ties. As Korea was annexedKorea under Japanese rule
Korea was under Japanese rule as part of Japan's 35-year imperialist expansion . Japanese rule ended in 1945 shortly after the Japanese defeat in World War II....
by Imperial Japan in 1910, Korea became under Japanese influence. Chinese believe that some ethnic Koreans were in the Imperial Japanese Army
Imperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
which invaded China during the Second Sino-Japanese War
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States...
. Additionally, adding to this sentiment is that some Koreans were reported to be involved into the operation of the Burma-Siam Death Railway
Death Railway
The Burma Railway, also known as the Death Railway, the Thailand–Burma Railway and similar names, was a railway between Bangkok, Thailand, and Rangoon, Burma , built by the Empire of Japan during World War II, to support its forces in the Burma campaign.Forced labour was used in its construction...
.
From a psychological perspective, Chinese are seen as assuming Koreans to be part of a sinocentric East Asian regional order. As a part of this group, Koreans are assumed to be inherently friendly to China. Chinese also emphasize hierarchy within their sinocentric order, where China is at the top of the hierarchy. In contrast, Koreans reject the sinocentric East Asian regional order and emphasize equality in diplomatic relations in East Asia. This rejection leads to conflict of existential identities, threatening the very meaning of being Korean and Chinese. Koreans and Chinese are seen as engaging in a relationship of negative interdependence, potentially comparable to Israeli–Palestinian conflict
Israeli–Palestinian conflict
The Israeli–Palestinian conflict is the ongoing conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. The conflict is wide-ranging, and the term is also used in reference to the earlier phases of the same conflict, between Jewish and Zionist yishuv and the Arab population living in Palestine under Ottoman or...
.
At the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, North Korea, aligned with the Soviet bloc, became friendly with the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
, while the PRC and Republic of Korea did not recognise each other. During the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, when China was engaged in war with South Korea and its western allies
United Nations Security Council Resolution 82
United Nations Security Council Resolution 82 was a measure adopted by the United Nations Security Council on June 25, 1950. The resolution demanded North Korea immediately end its invasion of South Korea, the catalyst for the beginning of the Korean War...
, efforts through propaganda were placed to intimidate hatred against South Korea, named a "puppet state" of the United States at the time by the PRC government.
From 1992 on, after South Korea's normalization of relations with China, relations with the People's Republic of China gradually improved. Within the Chinese population, Korean art and culture became popular
Korean wave
The Korean Wave, also known as the Hallyu , refers to spread of South Korean culture around the world. The term was coined in China in mid-1999 by Beijing journalists surprised by the fast growing popularity of Korean entertainment and culture in China...
from 2000 onwards. Amid improvements in relations however, there were also looming anti-South Korean sentiments involved in various disputes between the two countries.
In the Republic of China (Taiwan)
Within Taiwan, animosity towards Koreans amongst Taiwanese is present as a result of the rivalry between the two sovereign states in relation to baseball. Chinese TaipeiChinese Taipei
Chinese Taipei is the designated name used by the Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan, to participate in some international organizations and almost all sporting events, such as the Olympics, Paralympics, Asian Games and Asian Para Games...
has never been able to win against the South Korean national baseball team, which is the leading cause of frustration and resentment towards Korea amongst baseball fans. Some Taiwanese media made various controversial reports on South Korean baseball players.
Sales of Korean products are not very successful in Taiwan; according to an official from the Korean trade office in Taipei, "the Taiwanese felt very betrayed after Korea severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan and reestablished ties with China in 1992, because the people of Taiwan had seen Korea as an ally in the fight against Communism... Now because the two countries have similar export-oriented economies and focus on the same business sectors, the Taiwanese see Korea as a great rival, and think that losing to Korea would be the end of Taiwan."
More recently Taiwanese citizens protested against the disqualification of a Taekwondo
Taekwondo
Taekwondo is a Korean martial art and the national sport of South Korea. In Korean, tae means "to strike or break with foot"; kwon means "to strike or break with fist"; and do means "way", "method", or "path"...
athlete at the 2010 Asian Games
2010 Asian Games
The 2010 Asian Games, also known as the XVI Asiad, was a multi-sport event celebrated in Guangzhou, China from November 12 to November 27, 2010. Guangzhou was the second Chinese city to host the Games, after Beijing in 1990...
after a Filipino referee (former South Korean National) disqualified a Taiwanese fighter, calling for a boycott on South Korean goods.
In Japan
During the Joseon Dynasty
Joseon Dynasty
Joseon , was a Korean state founded by Taejo Yi Seong-gye that lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo at what is today the city of Kaesong. Early on, Korea was retitled and the capital was relocated to modern-day Seoul...
, Wokou
Wokou
Wokou , which literally translates as "Japanese pirates" in English, were pirates of varying origins who raided the coastlines of China and Korea from the 13th century onwards...
pirate raids on Korean soil were frequent, and so there has been general discontent for either side for a long span of time as a result, which would eventually form the basis of hatred between the two sides. Such tensions built up further after the annexation of Korea
Korea under Japanese rule
Korea was under Japanese rule as part of Japan's 35-year imperialist expansion . Japanese rule ended in 1945 shortly after the Japanese defeat in World War II....
in 1910.
During the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake
1923 Great Kanto earthquake
The struck the Kantō plain on the Japanese main island of Honshū at 11:58:44 am JST on September 1, 1923. Varied accounts hold that the duration of the earthquake was between 4 and 10 minutes...
, widespread damage occurred in a region with a significant Korean population, and much of the local Japanese overreacted to rumors which spread after the earthquake. Within the aftermath of the event, there was a common perception amongst groups of far-right Japanese that ethnic Koreans were poisoning wells
Well poisoning
Well-poisoning is the act of malicious manipulation of potable water resources in order to cause illness or death, or to deny an opponent access to fresh water resources....
, eventually setting off a killing rampage against Koreans, where Japanese would use the shibboleth
Shibboleth
A shibboleth is a custom, principle, or belief distinguishing a particular class or group of people, especially a long-standing one regarded as outmoded or no longer important...
of ba bi bu be bo (ばびぶべぼ) to distinguish ethnic Koreans from Japanese, as it was assumed that Koreans would be unable to pronounce the line correctly, instead as pa, pi, pu, pe, po. All people who failed the test were killed, which caused many ethnic Chinese
Chinese people
The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
and Ryukyuans
Ryukyuans
The are the indigenous peoples of the Ryukyu Islands between the islands of Kyūshū and Taiwan. The generally recognized subgroups of Ryukyuans are Amamians, Okinawans, Miyakoans, Yaeyamans, and Yonagunians. Geographically, they live in either Okinawa Prefecture or Kagoshima Prefecture...
, also unable to correctly pronounce the shibboleth, to be indiscriminately killed in large numbers. Other shibboleths used were jū-go-en, go-ji-ssen (15円 50銭) and gagigugego (がぎぐげご), where Japanese people pronounce initial g as [ɡ] and medial g as [ŋ] (such a distinction is dying out in recent years), whereas Koreans pronounce the two sounds as [k] and [ɡ] respectively.
Much of the anti-Korean sentiment present today however deal with contemporary attitudes. During the 2002 FIFA World Cup
2002 FIFA World Cup
The 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0...
, Japanese and Korean supporters clashed with one another, while Japanese media reported the conduct of Korean spectators in a negative fashion. Both sides were also known to post racist messages against each other on online bulletins. There were also disputes regarding how the event was to be hosted, as a result of the rivalry between the two nations. The territorial dispute over Dokdo/Takeshima also fuels outrage within far-right groups. Manga Kenkanryu
Manga Kenkanryu
, translated in English as Hating the Korean Wave or Hate Korea: A Comic is a controversial Japanese manga written by Sharin Yamano with the theme of Korean-Japanese disputes and anti-Korean sentiment in Japan...
(often referred to as Hating the Korean Wave) by Sharin Yamano
Sharin Yamano
is the pen name for a Japanese manga artist known for his writing Manga Kenkanryu . He is regarded as being a representative anti-Korean....
discusses these issues while making many other arguments and claims against Korea.
Zainichi Koreans in Japan are also publicly perceived to be a nuisance and are seen as likely to cause trouble and start riots, a view shared by Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
Governor Shintaro Ishihara
Shintaro Ishihara
is a Japanese author, actor, politician and the governor of Tokyo since 1999.- Early life and artistic career :Shintarō was born in Suma-ku, Kobe. His father Kiyoshi was an employee, later a general manager, of a shipping company. Shintarō grew up in Zushi...
. A Zainichi organisation, Chongryon
Chongryon
The General Association of Korean Residents in Japan , abbreviated to Chongryon The General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chae Ilbon Chosŏnin Ch'ongryŏnhaphoe in Korean or Zai-Nihon Chōsenjin Sōrengōkai in Japanese), abbreviated to Chongryon The General Association of Korean Residents...
, is commonly accused of providing funding and material to North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
and indoctrinating the Zainichi Korean population to actively hate Japan.
Right-wing groups in Japan today still commonly target ethnic Koreans living within Japan. One such group, known as Zaitokukai
Zaitokukai
, is a Japanese group, led by Makoto Sakurai . The group opposed what it calls "special privilege" for Zainichi Koreans, a term for long-term residents in Japan with South Korean or North Korean nationalities.- Incidents :...
, is organized be members on the internet, and is known to be responsible for leading street demonstrations against Korean schools.
There is also much concern in Japan regarding North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
and its nuclear and long-range missile capabilities
North Korea and weapons of mass destruction
North Korea has declared that it has nuclear weapons and is believed by many to have nuclear weapons. The CIA assesses that North Korea also has a substantial arsenal of chemical weapons...
, as a result of missile tests in 1993, 1998 and 2006 and an underground nuclear test
2006 North Korean nuclear test
The 2006 North Korean nuclear test was the detonation of a nuclear device conducted on October 9, 2006 by North Korea.North Korea announced its intention to conduct a test on October 3, six days prior, and in doing so became the first nation to give warning of its first nuclear test...
in 2006. There are also controversies regarding North Korean abductions of Japanese
North Korean abductions of Japanese
The abductions of Japanese citizens from Japan by agents of the North Korean government happened during a period of six years from 1977 to 1983. Although only 17 Japanese are officially recognized by the Japanese government as having been abducted, there may have been as many as 70 to 80...
, where Japanese citizens were abducted by North Korean agents between 1977 and 1983.
In recent years, Japanese Wikipedia
Japanese Wikipedia
is the Japanese-language edition of Wikipedia, a free, open-content encyclopedia. It has over articles, making it the ninth largest language edition of Wikipedia after the English, German, French, Dutch, Italian, Polish, Spanish and Russian editions. Started in September 2002, the edition attained...
has a growning number of articles describing Anti-Korean sentiment by applying terms under specific political and emotional context. The counterpart article for this Anti-Korean sentiment is :ja:嫌韓, or literally "Dislike/Hate-Korea", where its representation of the topic is more focused on describing selective and negative images of Koreans, rather than representing the aspects of discrimination.
The introduction of Hallyu
Korean wave
The Korean Wave, also known as the Hallyu , refers to spread of South Korean culture around the world. The term was coined in China in mid-1999 by Beijing journalists surprised by the fast growing popularity of Korean entertainment and culture in China...
into Japan has created some resentment among pockets in Japanese society. Right wing nationalist groups
Japanese nationalism
encompasses a broad range of ideas and sentiments harbored by the Japanese people over the last two centuries regarding their native country, its cultural nature, political form and historical destiny...
in Japan have organized anti-hallyu demonstrations via 2channel
2channel
is a Japanese textboard. In 2007 there were 2.5 million posts made every day. Launched in 1999, it has gained significant influence in Japanese society, comparable to that of traditional mass media such as television, radio, and magazines. As of 2008, the site generates revenue upwards of ¥100...
. On 9 August 2011, more than 2,000 protesters demonstrated in front of Fuji TV's headquarters in Odaiba
Odaiba
is a large artificial island in Tokyo Bay, Japan, across the Rainbow Bridge from central Tokyo. It was initially built for defensive purposes in the 1850s, dramatically expanded during the late 20th century as a seaport district, and has developed since the 1990s as a major commercial, residential...
, Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
against the broadcasting of Korean drama
Korean drama
Korean drama refers to televised dramas, in a miniseries format, produced in the Korean language. Many of these dramas have become popular throughout Asia and have contributed to the general phenomenon of the Korean wave, known as "Hallyu", and also "Drama Fever" in some countries...
s. Earlier, in July 2011, well-known actor Sousuke Takaoka
Sousuke Takaoka
is a Japanese actor, who currently lives in Tokyo.Takaoka has often tackled powerful supporting roles, playing conflicted young men on the fringes of society...
was fired from his agency, Stardust Promotion
Stardust Promotion
is one of the leading talent management firms in Japan. Its headquarters are located in Shibuya, Tokyo Stardust also operates its own record label, Stardust Music, and its own production company, Stardust Studio is one of the leading talent management firms in Japan. Its headquarters are located...
, for tweeting against the influx of Korean soaps.
Advertisements and mannerisms within Japan can also be influenced by various racist elements, as within the Japanese public various portions respond favourably to racial stereotypes, such as those relating to ethnic Koreans. As an example, is the Japanese slang term for a point-and-shoot camera (more formally called in Japanese), a term which Koreans take offense due to use of the racial slur "chon" (see below); the namesake is derived from the saying that such cameras are so simple and easy to use that , where the phrase can be used to refer to something that is "foolproof" or "idiot-proof". The term has notably been featured in various advertisements by camera manufacturing companies, and represents a casual use and acceptance of stereotypes and discrimination within aspects of Japanese society.
In Mongolia
Some South Korean men take sex tourismSex tourism
Sex tourism is travel to engage in sexual activity with prostitutes.The World Tourism Organization, a specialized agency of the United Nations, defines sex tourism as "trips organized from within the tourism sector, or from outside this sector but using its structures and networks, with the primary...
trips to Mongolia, often as clients of South Korean-run businesses in Mongolia, has also sparked anti-Korean sentiment among Mongolians, and is said to be responsible for the increasing number of assaults on South Korean nationals in the country.
In the Soviet Union
During the era of the Soviet UnionSoviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, ethnic Koreans in the Russian Far East
Russian Far East
Russian Far East is a term that refers to the Russian part of the Far East, i.e., extreme east parts of Russia, between Lake Baikal in Eastern Siberia and the Pacific Ocean...
were subject to deportations under the national delimitation policy, with the majority of Koreans relocating to Soviet republics
Soviet Central Asia
Soviet Central Asia refers to the section of Central Asia formerly controlled by the Soviet Union, as well as the time period of Soviet administration . In terms of area, it is nearly synonymous with Russian Turkestan, the name for the region during the Russian Empire...
in Central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
.
The deportation was preceded by a typical Soviet scenario of political repression
Political repression
Political repression is the persecution of an individual or group for political reasons, particularly for the purpose of restricting or preventing their ability to take political life of society....
: falsified trials of local party leaders accused of insurrection, accusations of plans of the secession of the Far Eastern Krai
Far Eastern Krai
Far Eastern Krai or Far Eastern Territory was an administrative subdivision of the Russian Soviet Socialist Republic during 1926-1938.The terms may also informally refer to Russian Far East.-History:...
, local party purges, and articles in Pravda
Pravda
Pravda was a leading newspaper of the Soviet Union and an official organ of the Central Committee of the Communist Party between 1912 and 1991....
about the Japanese espionage in the Far East.
The resettlement plans were revived with new vigor in August 1937, ostensibly with the purpose of suppressing "the penetration of the Japanese espionage into the Far Eastern Krai". This time, however, the direction of resettlement was westward, to Soviet Central Asia
Soviet Central Asia
Soviet Central Asia refers to the section of Central Asia formerly controlled by the Soviet Union, as well as the time period of Soviet administration . In terms of area, it is nearly synonymous with Russian Turkestan, the name for the region during the Russian Empire...
. From September to October 1937, more than 172,000 of Soviet Koreans were deported
Deportation of Koreans in the Soviet Union
Deportation of Koreans in the Soviet Union, originally conceived in 1926, initiated in 1930, and carried through in 1937, was the first mass transfer of an entire nationality based on their ethnicity to be committed by the Soviet Union...
from the border regions of the Russian Far East
Russian Far East
Russian Far East is a term that refers to the Russian part of the Far East, i.e., extreme east parts of Russia, between Lake Baikal in Eastern Siberia and the Pacific Ocean...
to Kazakh SSR
Kazakh SSR
The Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic , also known as the Kazakh SSR for short, was one of republics that made up the Soviet Union.At in area, it was the second largest constituent republic in the USSR, after the Russian SFSR. Its capital was Alma-Ata . Today it is the independent state of...
and Uzbek SSR
Uzbek SSR
The Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic , also known as the Uzbek SSR for short, was one of the republics of the Soviet Union since its creation in 1924...
(the latter including Karakalpak ASSR).
In the United States
The majority of resentment against Koreans in the United States and much of the western world is only in regards to North KoreaNorth Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
, although there have also been minor historical incidents.
During the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, the United States fought a bloody war to assist South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
from communist invasion. Since the war, the common perception of North Korea is that of an oppressive state. Anti-communist education in the United States, as well as allied countries such as South Korea.
Following heavy re-militarization and a series of missile tests, Americans were made to fear of a possible attack by a "rogue state
Rogue state
Rogue state is a controversial term applied by some international theorists to states they consider threatening to the world's peace. This means meeting certain criteria, such as being ruled by authoritarian regimes that severely restrict human rights, sponsor terrorism, and seek to proliferate...
" such as North Korea. In United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
's State of the Union Address
State of the Union Address
The State of the Union is an annual address presented by the President of the United States to the United States Congress. The address not only reports on the condition of the nation but also allows the president to outline his legislative agenda and his national priorities.The practice arises...
on January 29, 2002, he described North Korea as a part of the "Axis of evil
Axis of evil
"Axis of evil" is a term initially used by the former United States President George W. Bush in his State of the Union Address on January 29, 2002 and often repeated throughout his presidency, describing governments that he accused of helping terrorism and seeking weapons of mass destruction...
". Following the Nuclear program of North Korea
Nuclear program of North Korea
The Democratic People's Republic of Korea has been attempting to develop nuclear technology since the 1950s. Although the country currently has no known operational nuclear reactors, efforts at developing its nuclear power sector continue...
and subsequent 2006 North Korean nuclear test
2006 North Korean nuclear test
The 2006 North Korean nuclear test was the detonation of a nuclear device conducted on October 9, 2006 by North Korea.North Korea announced its intention to conduct a test on October 3, six days prior, and in doing so became the first nation to give warning of its first nuclear test...
, the United States imposed UN sanctions
International sanctions
International sanctions are actions taken by countries against others for political reasons, either unilaterally or multilaterally.There are several types of sanctions....
on North Korea. These economic sanctions are very unlikely to be lifted by the United States due to North Korea's incompliance to the Six-party talk
Six-party talks
The six-party talks aim to find a peaceful resolution to the security concerns as a result of the North Korean nuclear weapons program.There has been a series of meetings with six participating states:* The Democratic People's Republic of Korea ;...
agreements.
The Los Angeles riots of 1992 were partially based on Anti-Korean sentiment. Ice Cube
Ice Cube
O'Shea Jackson , better known by his stage name Ice Cube, is an American rapper and actor. He began his career as a member of the hip-hop group C.I.A. and later joined the rap group N.W.A. After leaving N.W.A in December 1989, he built a successful solo career in music, and also as a writer,...
's song Black Korea which would later be accused of inciting racism was written in response to the death of 15-year old African-American Latasha Harlins
Latasha Harlins
Latasha Harlins was a 15 year-old African-American girl who was shot and killed on March 16, 1991 by Soon Ja Du, a 51 year-old Korean store owner. Harlins was a student at Westchester High School in Los Angeles, California...
, who was shot and killed by Korean-American store owner Soon Ja-du on March 16, 1991, as well as the preponderence of Korean grocery stores in primarily black neighborhoods. The event resulted in mass ransacking and destruction of Korean-American owned stores in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
by groups of young African-Americans.
Derogatory terms
There are a variety of derogatory terms referring to KoreaKorea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
. Many of these terms are viewed as racist
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
. However, these terms do not necessarily refer to the Korean people as a whole; they can also refer to specific policies, or specific time periods in history.
In English
- "GookGookGook is a derogatory term for East Asians which came to prominence in reference to enemy soldiers. U.S. Marines serving in the Philippines in the early 20th century used the word to refer to Filipinos. The term continued to be used by American soldiers stationed around the world to refer to...
" - (U.S. military slang) a derogatory term for all Asians, first used against south-east Asians. The etymology of this racial slur is shrouded in mystery, disagreement, and controversy. The Oxford English Dictionary admits that its origin is "unknown".
In Chinese
- 高麗棒子 (Simplified Chinese: 高丽棒子; PinyinPinyinPinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into...
: gāolì bàngzǐ) - Derogatory term used against all ethnic Koreans. 高麗 refers to Ancient Korea (GoryeoGoryeoThe Goryeo Dynasty or Koryŏ was a Korean dynasty established in 918 by Emperor Taejo. Korea gets its name from this kingdom which came to be pronounced Korea. It united the Later Three Kingdoms in 936 and ruled most of the Korean peninsula until it was removed by the Joseon dynasty in 1392...
), while 棒子 means "club" or "corncob", referring to how traditional Korean clothing supposedly had trousers that resembled a corn fitting into its cob. There are other various etymologies; some suggest that the term originates from TaiwanTaiwanTaiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
as a result of its baseball rivalry with South Korea, where 棒子 refers to a baseball bat; another explanation refers to the Second Sino-Japanese WarSecond Sino-Japanese WarThe Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States...
, where ethnic Koreans in the Imperial Japanese ArmyImperial Japanese Army-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
were unarmed, and hence beat civilians with sticks and clubs in occupied areas. Sometimes 韓棒子 (hán bàng zǐ, "韓" referring to South KoreaSouth KoreaThe Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
) and 死棒子 (sǐ bàng zǐ, literally "dead corncob") are also used. - 高麗泡菜 (gāolì pàocài) - literally "GoryeoGoryeoThe Goryeo Dynasty or Koryŏ was a Korean dynasty established in 918 by Emperor Taejo. Korea gets its name from this kingdom which came to be pronounced Korea. It united the Later Three Kingdoms in 936 and ruled most of the Korean peninsula until it was removed by the Joseon dynasty in 1392...
kimchi" or "Korean kimchi", which makes a reference to kimchiKimchiKimchi , also spelled gimchi, kimchee, or kim chee, is a traditional fermented Korean dish made of vegetables with varied seasonings. There are hundreds of varieties of kimchi made with a main vegetable ingredient such as napa cabbage, radish, green onions or cucumber. It is the most common...
, a Korean staple food. Used by Taiwanese baseball fans, as a result of their rivalry against South Korea, where Chinese TaipeiChinese TaipeiChinese Taipei is the designated name used by the Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan, to participate in some international organizations and almost all sporting events, such as the Olympics, Paralympics, Asian Games and Asian Para Games...
is commonly defeated by the South Korean national team. Variants include 死泡菜 (dead kimchi). - 二鬼子 (èr guǐ zǐ) - A disparaging designation of puppet armies and traitors during the Anti-Japanese War of China. As with the term hanjianHanjianIn Chinese culture, a Hanjian is a derogatory and pejorative term for a race traitor to the Han Chinese nation or state, and to a lesser extent, Han ethnicity. The word Hanjian is distinct from the general word for traitor, which could be used for any race or country...
, the definition of 二鬼子 has varied throughout history. Japanese were known as "鬼子" (devils), and so 二鬼子 literally means "second devils". During World War II, some KoreansKorean peopleThe Korean people are an ethnic group originating in the Korean peninsula and Manchuria. Koreans are one of the most ethnically and linguistically homogeneous groups in the world.-Names:...
were in service within the Imperial Japanese Army, and so 二鬼子 refers to hanjianHanjianIn Chinese culture, a Hanjian is a derogatory and pejorative term for a race traitor to the Han Chinese nation or state, and to a lesser extent, Han ethnicity. The word Hanjian is distinct from the general word for traitor, which could be used for any race or country...
(i.e. Chinese who collaborated with the JapaneseCollaborationist Chinese ArmyThe Collaborationist Chinese Army in the Second Sino-Japanese War went under different names at different times depending on which collaborationist leader or puppet regime it was organized under....
) and ethnic Koreans. During the Chinese Civil WarChinese Civil WarThe Chinese Civil War was a civil war fought between the Kuomintang , the governing party of the Republic of China, and the Communist Party of China , for the control of China which eventually led to China's division into two Chinas, Republic of China and People's Republic of...
, both the Chinese Communist Party and KuomintangKuomintangThe Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused...
accused each other of being hanjianHanjianIn Chinese culture, a Hanjian is a derogatory and pejorative term for a race traitor to the Han Chinese nation or state, and to a lesser extent, Han ethnicity. The word Hanjian is distinct from the general word for traitor, which could be used for any race or country...
, and so the term 二鬼子 was then applied to the Kuomintang by the communists. In modern times, slang usage of 二鬼子 refers to Koreans based on the WW2 definition, as well as the perception that Koreans supposedly "resemble" Japanese in their appearance and popular culture.
In Japanese
- チョン (chon) - Vernacular nickname for Koreans, with strongly offensive overtones. Various suggested etymologies exist; one such etymology is that it is an abbreviation of , a Japanese term for KoreaNames of KoreaThere are various names of Korea in use today, derived from ancient kingdoms and dynasties. The modern English name Korea is an exonym derived from the Goryeo period and is used by both North Korea and South Korea in international contexts...
. - キムチ野郎 (kimuchi yarō) - literally "kimchi bastard". In 2003, the Mongolian sumo wrestler Asashoryu was taking interviews from journalists when he called a Korean journalist a "kimchi bastard", sparking controversy. The phrase became a sensation on the 2channel2channelis a Japanese textboard. In 2007 there were 2.5 million posts made every day. Launched in 1999, it has gained significant influence in Japanese society, comparable to that of traditional mass media such as television, radio, and magazines. As of 2008, the site generates revenue upwards of ¥100...
messageboard overnight following the incident. - 朝鮮人 (chōsenjin) - Derived from the non-derogatory term 朝鮮人 chōsenjin used to describe Koreans in a neutral manner. The term, however, has eventually been used in a derogatory manner against Korean people.
- ゴキブリ (gokiburi) - literally "cockroach". There have been incidents in which Japanese have called ethnic Koreans as "cockroaches". The most recent incident took place in August 2011 when a number of Anti-HallyuKorean waveThe Korean Wave, also known as the Hallyu , refers to spread of South Korean culture around the world. The term was coined in China in mid-1999 by Beijing journalists surprised by the fast growing popularity of Korean entertainment and culture in China...
protestors referred to music groups such as SNSD and Kara as "cockroaches".
See also
- Anti-Japanese sentimentAnti-Japanese sentimentAnti-Japanese sentiment involves hatred, grievance, distrust, dehumanization, intimidation, fear, hostility, and/or general dislike of the Japanese people and Japanese diaspora as ethnic or national group, Japan, Japanese culture, and/or anything Japanese. Sometimes the terms Japanophobia and...
- SinophobiaSinophobiaSinophobia or anti-Chinese sentiment is the fear of or dislike of China, its people, overseas Chinese, or Chinese Culture...
- Japan–Korea disputes
- Liancourt Rocks disputeLiancourt Rocks disputeThe Liancourt Rocks dispute is a territorial dispute between the Republic of Korea and Japan.Currently both the Republic of Korea and Japan claim sovereignty over Liancourt Rocks, a group of small islets in the Sea of Japan...
- Manga KenkanryuManga Kenkanryu, translated in English as Hating the Korean Wave or Hate Korea: A Comic is a controversial Japanese manga written by Sharin Yamano with the theme of Korean-Japanese disputes and anti-Korean sentiment in Japan...
- Goguryeo controversiesGoguryeo controversiesThe Goguryeo controversies refers to the disputes between China and Korea on the history of Goguryeo, an ancient kingdom located mostly in the present day Northeast China and North Korea...
- Baekdu MountainBaekdu MountainBaekdu Mountain, also known in China as Changbai Mountain and Baitou Mountain , is a volcanic mountain on the border between North Korea and China, located at...