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Where Is Korea headed?

Published: 07 Nov. 2025, 00:01

Choi Jin-seok

The author is a Principal of the Saemal Saemomjit School

The central bank of the Republic of Korea is called the Bank of Korea, and the Bank of Korea Act states that the currency of the Republic of Korea shall be the won. The country’s banknotes are printed by the Korea Minting and Security Printing Corporation. These are all institutions of the Republic of Korea. Yet there are no modern Koreans on Korea’s currency. Instead, figures from the Joseon Dynasty — Shin Saimdang, King Sejong, Yi Hwang, and Yi I — appear. While American banknotes feature Americans, Japanese banknotes feature Japanese and Chinese banknotes feature Chinese, Korean banknotes feature pre-modern Koreans rather than citizens of the Republic of Korea. This symbolizes that although Korea was founded as the Republic of Korea, it has not fully lived as one or defined its identity with confidence.

Prime Minister Kim Min-seok (center) and South Jeolla Governor Kim Yung-rok (left) arrive at the joint memorial ceremony marking the 77th anniversary of the Yeosu-Suncheon Incident at the Jirisan History and Culture Center in Gurye County, South Jeolla, on Oct. 19. [YONHAP]

The nation’s identity crisis is not simply about ideology but about whether the Republic of Korea is affirmed or denied. Political conflict in Korea is often labeled as a clash between left and right, but this is misleading. In my view, progressives speak of human rights yet remain silent on North Korean human rights, while conservatives fail to address welfare. As a result, both have become imitations of left and right. The real divide is whether one acknowledges the Republic of Korea's founding or rejects it.

This conflict is most visibly symbolized in how Koreans interpret the Yeosu-Suncheon Incident of 1948. Was it a rebellion or an uprising? Kim Gu, a prominent independence leader, referred to it as a “rebellion” 11 days after it occurred. Former President Roh Moo-hyun said in his official apology for the Jeju April 3 Incident that it began as an armed revolt by the South Korean Workers’ Party. Former President Kim Dae-jung said in a CNN interview that the 4·3 Incident was caused by anti-government actions of the South Korean Workers’ Party, and that many civilians were unjustly killed in the suppression. During the Yeosu-Suncheon Incident, soldiers who revolted reportedly adopted statements pledging loyalty to the North Korean regime and vowing to destroy the Republic of Korea. I argue this supports viewing it as a rebellion rather than a democratic uprising. At the same time, I agree that victims who were civilians deserve restoration of honor and compensation regardless of interpretation.

I criticize President Lee Jae Myung for calling the military’s suppression of the Yeosu-Suncheon revolt an act of state violence and for questioning the legitimacy of the military’s orders at the time. This frames the Republic’s army as an aggressor against its own people. This shift began under former President Moon Jae-in, who honored figures such as Hong Beom-do, Kim Won-bong and Jeong Yul-seong — individuals who fought against the Republic of Korea or were associated with communist movements. I also argue that Moon admired thinkers aligned with North Korea’s Juche ideology and changed the motto of the National Intelligence Service to reflect a different historical approach.

Lawmakers vote to pass a partial amendment to the Special Act on Investigating the Truth of the Yeosu-Suncheon Incident and Restoring the Honor of Victims during a plenary session of the National Assembly on the afternoon of Dec. 10, 2024. [YONHAP]

I question how such views gain confidence, arguing that it stems from a sense of moral conviction. This conviction is based on the belief that Korea should have become a socialist state after liberation. Education Minister Choi Kyo-jin expressed agreement with the argument that if the circumstances after liberation had continued as they were, Korea could have developed into a model socialist state. I believe this belief shapes a moral narrative that overwhelms factual debate.

To live well, a nation must see facts as they are. The ancient Chinese philosopher Laozi called this principle wu wei — acting without forced action. Without this, people fall into confirmation bias, eroding both efficiency and judgment. When a society abandons objective truth and embraces ideology over reality, decline follows for both individuals and nations.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.