Pledge of Allegiance (South Korea)

The Pledge of Allegiance to the Korean Flag (Template:Lang-ko, lit. '"Oath regarding the national flag"') is the pledge to the national flag of South Korea. The pledge is recited at flag ceremonies immediately before the South Korean national anthem.

History

The current pledge was introduced on July 27, 2007.^[1] A previous pledge of allegiance was used from 1972 until 2007 and was introduced by then-president Park Chung-hee. Unlike the current pledge which pledges allegiance to the flag of South Korea, the 1972 pledge rather pledged allegiance to the "Korean race," also known as the minjok.^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6]

In the mid-2000s, the pledging of allegiance to a "Korean race" (or "Korean ethnicity") was criticized by some people,^[7] specifically for being racist and "not appropriate at a time when South Korea is becoming a multiracial and multicultural society."^[8] This version of the pledge was discontinued in July 2007, during the presidency of Roh Moo-hyun,^[9] and replaced with different wording. Some left-wing South Koreans condemned the rewording of the country's pledge of allegiance, as it went against their ideology.^[10]

Similarly, until April 2011, the South Korean army's soldiers swore allegiance to the "Korean race" in their oaths of enlistment until that, too, was discontinued for similar reasons.^[4]

Text of the pledge

1972 version

Korean-language version

나는 자랑스러운 태극기 앞에 조국과 민족의 무궁한 영광을 위하여 몸과 마음을 바쳐 충성을 다할 것을 굳게 다짐합니다.

Korean-language transliteration

Naneun jalangseuleon taegeuggi ap-e joguggwa minjog-ui mugunghan yeong-gwang-eul wihayeo momgwa ma-eum-eul bachyeo chungseong-eul dahal geos-eul gudge dajimhabnida.

English translation

I strongly pledge, in front of the proud Korean flag, allegiance to my fatherland, to devote my body and soul to the eternal glory of the race.^[2]^[4]^[3]

Alternate English translation (with notations)

I firmly pledge, proudly in front of the Korean flag [Taegukgi], to loyally devote our body and soul to the eternal glory of the fatherland [joguk] and the race [minjok].^[2]^[4]

Literal English translation

I am firmly committed to fulfilling my allegiance by offering my body and mind for the endless glory of my fatherland and race before the proud Korean flag.

2007 version

Korean-language version (official version)

나는 자랑스러운 태극기 앞에 자유롭고 정의로운 대한민국의 무궁한 영광을 위하여 충성을 다할 것을 굳게 다짐합니다.

Korean-language transliteration

Naneun jarangseureoun Taegeukgi ape jayuropgo jeoneuiroun Daehanmingug ae mugunghan yeonggwangeul wihayeo chungseongeul dahal geoseul gutge dajimhamnida.

Official English-language translation

I pledge, in front of proud Taegeuk flag, allegiance to the Republic of Korea for the eternal glory of the country, liberty and freedom to the Republic of Korea.

Alternate English-language translation

I, standing before the noble Taegeuk flag, solemnly pledge allegiance to the Republic of Korea, to its glory, liberty and justice.

Literal English translation

I am firmly committed to my loyalty to the endless glory of the Republic of Korea that is free and just in front of a proud Taegeuk flag.

References

^ Moon, Gwang-lip (July 9, 2007). "Pledge of allegiance is revised yet still resisted". Joong-ang Daily. South Korea. Archived from the original on March 24, 2016. Retrieved March 24, 2016.
^ ^a ^b ^c Kelly, Robert E. (June 4, 2015). "Why South Korea is So Obsessed with Japan". Real Clear Defense. Archived from the original on March 24, 2016. Retrieved March 24, 2016.
^ ^a ^b Myers, Brian Reynolds (September 14, 2010). "South Korea: The Unloved Republic?". Archived from the original on May 19, 2013. Retrieved May 19, 2013.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "New Pledge of Allegiance to Reflect Growing Multiculturalism". The Chosun Ilbo. South Korea. April 18, 2011. Archived from the original on April 20, 2011. Retrieved April 20, 2011. The military has decided to omit the word 'minjok,' which refers to the Korean race, from the oath of enlistment for officers and soldiers, and replace it with 'the citizen.' The measure reflects the growing number of foreigners who gain Korean citizenship and of children from mixed marriages entering military service.
^ "Nicholas Eberstadt Transcript - Conversations with Bill Kristol".
^ "Nicholas Eberstadt on Understanding North Korea".
^ "유시민 의원 '국기에 대한 맹세는 파시즘 잔재'". Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). May 2, 2003. Archived from the original on January 8, 2006. Retrieved January 8, 2006.
^ Jeong, Jeong-hun (2006), "A pledge to a nation, or a gang oath?", The Hankyoreh, South Korea: The Hankyoreh Media Company
^ Myers, B rian R. (December 28, 2016). "Still the Unloved Republic". Archived from the original on March 13, 2018. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
^ Myers, Brian Reynolds (20 May 2018). "North Korea's state-loyalty advantage". Free Online Library. Archived from the original on 20 May 2018. Although the change was inspired by the increase in multiethnic households, not by the drive to bolster state-patriotism per se, the left-wing media objected ...

External links

Quotations related to South Korea at Wikiquote
Quotations related to Racism in South Korea at Wikiquote

[1] Moon, Gwang-lip (July 9, 2007). "Pledge of allegiance is revised yet still resisted". Joong-ang Daily. South Korea. Archived from the original on March 24, 2016. Retrieved March 24, 2016.

[REKelly2015-2] Kelly, Robert E. (June 4, 2015). "Why South Korea is So Obsessed with Japan". Real Clear Defense. Archived from the original on March 24, 2016. Retrieved March 24, 2016.

[BRMyersSKTULR-3] Myers, Brian Reynolds (September 14, 2010). "South Korea: The Unloved Republic?". Archived from the original on May 19, 2013. Retrieved May 19, 2013.

[OathChosunIlbo-4] "New Pledge of Allegiance to Reflect Growing Multiculturalism". The Chosun Ilbo. South Korea. April 18, 2011. Archived from the original on April 20, 2011. Retrieved April 20, 2011. The military has decided to omit the word 'minjok,' which refers to the Korean race, from the oath of enlistment for officers and soldiers, and replace it with 'the citizen.' The measure reflects the growing number of foreigners who gain Korean citizenship and of children from mixed marriages entering military service.

[5] "Nicholas Eberstadt Transcript - Conversations with Bill Kristol".

[6] "Nicholas Eberstadt on Understanding North Korea".

[7] "유시민 의원 '국기에 대한 맹세는 파시즘 잔재'". Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). May 2, 2003. Archived from the original on January 8, 2006. Retrieved January 8, 2006.

[JHJeong2006-8] Jeong, Jeong-hun (2006), "A pledge to a nation, or a gang oath?", The Hankyoreh, South Korea: The Hankyoreh Media Company

[9] Myers, B rian R. (December 28, 2016). "Still the Unloved Republic". Archived from the original on March 13, 2018. Retrieved March 13, 2018.

[thefreelibrary.com-10] Myers, Brian Reynolds (20 May 2018). "North Korea's state-loyalty advantage". Free Online Library. Archived from the original on 20 May 2018. Although the change was inspired by the increase in multiethnic households, not by the drive to bolster state-patriotism per se, the left-wing media objected ...

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History

Text of the pledge

1972 version

Korean-language version

Korean-language transliteration

English translation

Alternate English translation (with notations)

Literal English translation

2007 version

Korean-language version (official version)

Korean-language transliteration

Official English-language translation

Alternate English-language translation

Literal English translation

See also

References

External links