As a Japanese person, I often receive these kinds of questions from foreigners.
“Why is South Korea anti-Japanese?”
They’ve probably seen news where South Korean politicians criticize Japan.
Other times, they might have seen online news about
burning Japanese flags in front of the Japanese embassy
or
campaigns to boycott Japanese products.
According to a story from one of my Korean friends, stores selling Japanese products sometimes get targeted on social media platforms like Twitter (now X) with posts like:
“That store is selling Japanese products!! Everyone, don’t buy from that store!!”
So, why does anti-Japanese sentiment exist in South Korea in the first place?
If I have to say, In short,
it’s due to historical reasons.
This goes back to the time before South Korea was founded,
when the Korean Peninsula was still under Japanese colonial rule.
There are many reasons.
If I were to explain that long history from the beginning,
I would end up talking for eight hours on YouTube.
For all of you, watching an eight-hour YouTube video where I just explain the history between Korea and Japan would probably be nothing but pure torture.
Most of you likely wouldn’t want to waste time of your life on such a lengthy eight-hour YouTube video where I just explain.
So, I’ll explain the reason for one of the parts as briefly and clearly as possible.
By reading this, you’ll understand the reasons behind South Korea’s anti-Japanese sentiment, and you’ll be able to explain it to others.
To explain this, I actually went to a place in South Korea with the help of my Korean friends.
A place where the history of anti-Japanese sentiment in South Korea remains.
As the name suggests, this facility was once a prison and is now open as a museum.
It’s a place where Korean people who fought for independence from Japan were imprisoned.
Here, the history of the suffering during the period when the Korean
Peninsula was a colony of the Japanese Empire preserved.
Wax figures are recreating the scenes of Koreans being tortured by the Japanese military,
and actual instruments used for torture are on display.
In South Korea, it’s common for school students to visit here as part of their education.
Seeing such a history, it’s not surprising that feelings of dislike toward Japanese people might arise.
This is the reason why anti-Japanese sentiment exists in South Korea.
And it is the politicians who exploit this anti-Japanese sentiment among the people!!
For politicians, public approval ratings are crucial!!
Approval ratings are their lifeline!!
If they lose public support and fail in elections,
they lose their jobs!!
Naturally, they don't want to let go of the power and position they currently hold.
So what do politicians do when their approval ratings start to drop...
Yes, they exploit the public's anti-Japanese sentiment.
There is a certain number of people who harbor anti-Japanese sentiment.
That's why by engaging in anti-Japanese activities,
they can gain the approval of those with anti-Japanese feelings and boost their support.
That’s why when politicians’ approval ratings drop, they stir up anti-Japanese sentiment to recover their ratings.
This is the reason behind the anti-Japanese statements made by politicians that you see in the news.
To put it simply:
They learn the history of colonial rule.
↓
Anti-Japanese sentiment arises.
↓
Politicians exploit this sentiment.
↓
More anti-Japanese actions occur.
This cycle continues.
As a result,
burning Japanese flags in front of the Japanese embassy
And
That’s the answer to why is South Korea anti-Japanese?
However, some of you reading this might have a question.
I said that I came here with my Korean friend.
Why do you have Korean friends?
Even though you are a Japanese.
Aren't they anti-Japanese?
In Korea, there’s the word
"Daytime anti-Japanese, nighttime pro-Japanese."
This means that while they may outwardly appear anti-Japanese,
they are actually pro-Japanese.
There are also a certain number kind of people.
At least, my friends are not anti-Japanese.
It’s might Japanese people once colonized the Korean Peninsula.
But that isn’t me.
I didn't exist in that era.
I wasn’t even born in that era.
I’m just one of the Japanese citizens who coincidently happened to be born in Japan.
My friends already recognize that.
And they aren’t engaging in any anti-Japanese activities.
They just also coincidently happened to be born in Korea as well.
So there’s no reason for us to harbor any resentment toward each other.
When I visited Korea, they showed me around.
When they came to Japan, I showed them around.
We will continue to be good friends.
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I’m a passionate blogger who loves diving deep into human history and sharing captivating stories about remarkable figures and events from the past. My blog combines engaging storytelling with beautiful illustrations, making history accessible and enjoyable for everyone.
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Author: FujiHuman history is truly complex, isn’t it? There are countless websites introducing historical figures and events, but many of them are just plain explanations—not exactly exciting to read. On the other hand, reading books takes a lot of time and effort. That’s where I come in. Through "stories that are more engaging than explanations and shorter than books," I aim to bring the world’s history and humanity’s records to you in a more accessible and interesting way. If my stories inspire you to love history a little more, I’d be absolutely thrilled!
My teammate: NatalieMy name is Natalie, and I am a passionate storyteller and digital creator. I write and create in various genres and am particularly interested in how AI and humanity will evolve together. My interests span spirituality, space, artificial intelligence, and history. I also have a rich creative background. A storyteller who places art with stories.
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