Korean Identity: Changes and Continuities, 2005-2015

Analyzes changes in Koreans' national identity to diagnose the future of Korean society.

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In a Decade of Change, How Has Korean Society Transformed?

Korea has remained in a state of ultra-low fertility (total fertility rate below 1.3) for the past decade. Due to declining birth rates, aging has accelerated. Economic inequality has worsened, and youth unemployment has sharply increased since 2012. Security concerns have also grown due to North Korea's continued nuclear tests and provocations. Meanwhile, globalization and liberalization have diversified the composition of the population. The number of foreign residents in Korea has steadily increased, surpassing 1.74 million as of January 2015. These changes experienced by Korean society have likely had a significant impact on Koreans' identities and values. The book, "Korean Identity," tracks and analyzes these changes to diagnose the future of Korean society.

Still a Distant Dream: Korea's Transition to a Multicultural Society

This book consists of nine chapters. Part I addresses Koreans' neighborhood identity and multicultural perceptions. First, Sukhee Oh's analysis of changes in Koreans' community participation reveals a significant increase in neighborhood identity—meaning participation and belonging in local communities such as neighborhoods—over the past decade. Jeongmi Hwang points out that although a majority of Koreans believe Korea should move towards becoming a multi-ethnic, multicultural nation rather than adhering to a single-ethnic, single-culture model, support for a multicultural nation has considerably decreased compared to five years ago. Furthermore, Injine Yoon reports that over the past decade, Korea has had limitations in accepting foreigners, and an increasing number of Koreans believe that government support for North Korean defectors and multicultural families is excessive. Ultimately, Yoon argues that the shift in Koreans' attitudes towards multiculturalism and minority groups from warmth to indifference signifies a perception of multicultural minorities as a burden rather than a resource for social development, and this change in perception indicates that the transition to a multicultural society will not be easy.

Foreshadowing Intensified Conflict? Weakening Voluntary Networks, Widening Generational Gaps

Part II of this book discusses changes in Koreans' perceptions of civility and the role of the state, as well as their values. Seokho Kim analyzes the impact of participation in voluntary associations on civility and reveals a general decline in Koreans' participation in voluntary associations over the past decade. He points out that while Koreans have high participation rates in kinship-based groups tied by region, blood, or alma mater, such as alumni associations, clan associations, and hometown associations, participation in secondary groups like political parties and civic organizations is relatively low. Meanwhile, Seokho Kim and Myungjae Moon tracked changes in public perceptions of the government's role, finding that these perceptions are influenced by age, education level, and political orientation. Those who are older, more educated, and hold conservative views tend to believe the government should pursue economic values, while younger, more progressive individuals perceive the government as needing to pursue social values.

Furthermore, Korean identity is closely related to the value orientations held by Koreans. Han Joon analyzes the changing patterns of Korean value orientations by distinguishing between materialism and post-materialism. According to his research, while post-materialism among Koreans has generally increased over the past decade, materialism has decreased, and he reveals that the younger generation has driven the increase in post-materialism. Han Joon argues that this phenomenon, where the gap in the ratio of materialism to post-materialism widens across generations, foreshadows an increased likelihood of intergenerational conflict in the future.

Koreans' Foreign Policy Perceptions: Skeptical of Unification, Preferring Balanced Diplomacy Between the US and China

Part III of this book addresses Koreans' perceptions of conflict and foreign policy. Won택 Kang examines changes in conflict within Korean society across four dimensions: ideology, class, generation, and region. He argues that partisan conflict based on ideology has become more entrenched, intergenerational conflict has intensified, and the severity of class conflict has also increased, yet no political solutions have been proposed. Meanwhile, Nae-young Lee's research analyzing changes in perceptions and attitudes toward North Korea and unification shows a decrease in positive perceptions of North Korea and a distinct increase in negative perceptions over the past decade. Lee interprets this as a weakening of ethnic homogeneity with North Korea and a rise in distrust and vigilance, which is linked to a decline in Koreans' desire for unification and an increase in skeptical attitudes. Jeongnam Lee and Do-hyung Ha focus on changes in Koreans' perceptions of neighboring major powers, revealing that Koreans view China's rapid rise with concern and that their favorability towards the United States, whose influence is relatively declining, has increased, along with recognition of the importance of the ROK-US alliance. Nevertheless, they assess that Koreans' policy preference is to pursue practical benefits through balanced diplomacy between the US and China rather than strengthening the ROK-US alliance to contain China.

Future Policy Challenges?

The trends in the changes of Korean identity and values identified in this book highlight the various challenges facing contemporary Korean society and present important policy tasks. 1) The increasing negative perception towards multicultural minorities indicates that the transition to a multicultural society will be a challenging task. 2) Furthermore, high participation in kinship-based associations while low participation in non-kinship associations can hinder the formation of civility. 3) The intensification of conflicts based on ideology, class, generation, and region, coupled with the failure to establish institutional mechanisms to resolve them, is a serious issue that requires careful consideration. 4) Finally, intra-Korean conflicts surrounding North Korea and unification, and the generational gap in perceptions, are likely to pose significant dilemmas for the government's North Korea and unification policies.

Table of Contents

Foreword

I. Local Community and Multicultural Perceptions

Chapter 1: Koreans' Communities and Neighborhood Identity ■ Sukhee Oh

Chapter 2: Koreans' Multifaceted Identities and Prospects for a Multicultural Nation: Who Imagines a Multicultural Nation? ■ Jeongmi Hwang

Chapter 3: Changes in Koreans' Perceptions of Multiculturalism and Multicultural Minorities: From Warmth to Indifference? ■ Injine Yoon

II. Citizens and Perceptions of the State

Chapter 4: Koreans' Participation in Voluntary Associations and Civility ■ Seokho Kim

Chapter 5: Changes in Public Perceptions of Government Roles ■ Seokho Kim•Myungjae Moon

Chapter 6: Is Korean Post-Materialism Increasing? ■ Han Joon

III. Social Conflicts and Perceptions of North Korea, Unification, and Foreign Policy

Chapter 7: Changes in Perceptions of Conflict in Korean Society, 2005-2015 ■ Won택 Kang

Chapter 8: Changes in Koreans' Perceptions of North Korea and Unification, 2005-2015 ■ Nae-young Lee

Chapter 9: Changes in Koreans' Perceptions of the US and China Amidst Intensifying US-China Competition in East Asia ■ Jeongnam Lee•Do-hyung Ha