Pledge of Allegiance (South Korea)

The current pledge was introduced on July 27, 2007.{{Cite web|title=Pledge of allegiance is revised yet still resisted |date=July 9, 2007 |url=http://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2877789 |last=Moon |first=Gwang-lip |work=Joong-ang Daily |location=South Korea |accessdate=March 24, 2016 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160324193814/http://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2877789 |archivedate=March 24, 2016 }} A previous pledge of allegiance was used from 1972 until 2007 and was introduced by then-president Park Chung-hee.{{Cite web |last=Kelly |first=Robert E. |date=June 4, 2015 |title=Why South Korea is So Obsessed with Japan |url=http://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2015/06/04/why_south_korea_is_so_obsessed_with_japan_108014.html |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160324194031/http://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2015/06/04/why_south_korea_is_so_obsessed_with_japan_108014.html |archivedate=March 24, 2016 |accessdate=March 24, 2016 |work=Real Clear Defense}}{{Cite web |last=Myers |first=Brian Reynolds |authorlink=Brian Reynolds Myers |date=September 14, 2010 |title=South Korea: The Unloved Republic? |url=http://asiasociety.org/korea/south-korea-unloved-republic |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130519065927/http://asiasociety.org/korea/south-korea-unloved-republic |archivedate=May 19, 2013 |accessdate=May 19, 2013}}

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{{Quote frame|나는 자랑스런 태극기 앞에 조국과 민족의 무궁한 영광을 위하여 몸과 마음을 바쳐 충성을 다할 것을 굳게 다짐합니다.{{cite web | url=https://web.archive.org/web/1/http://theme.archives.go.kr/viewer/common/archWebViewer.do?singleData=Y&archiveEventId=0049319880 | title=국가기록원 기록물뷰어 }}}}

{{transl|ko|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}}.

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 ethnicity.

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 ethnicity [minjok].

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

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{{Quote frame|나는 자랑스러운 태극기 앞에 자유롭고 정의로운 대한민국의 무궁한 영광을 위하여 충성을 다할 것을 굳게 다짐합니다.}}

{{transl|ko|Naneun jarangseureoun Taegeukgi ape jayuropgo jeoneuiroun Daehanmingug ae mugunghan yeonggwangeul wihayeo chungseongeul dahal geoseul gutge dajimhamnida}}.

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.

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

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

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Unlike the current pledge which pledges allegiance to the state of South Korea, the 1972 pledge rather pledged allegiance to the "Korean nation" or "Korean ethnicity" (translated as "Korean race" by some critics{{Cite web |date=April 18, 2011 |title=New Pledge of Allegiance to Reflect Growing Multiculturalism |url=http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2011/04/18/2011041801112.html |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110420171019/http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2011/04/18/2011041801112.html |archivedate=April 20, 2011 |accessdate=April 20, 2011 |work=The Chosun Ilbo |quote=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. |location=South Korea}}{{cite web |last1=Kristol |first1=Bill |last2=Eberstadt |first2=Nicholas |title=Nicholas Eberstadt Transcript |url=http://conversationswithbillkristol.org/transcript/nicholas-eberstadt-transcript/ |work=Conversations with Bill Kristol |authorlink1=Bill Kristol |authorlink2=Nicholas Eberstadt}}{{cite web |last1=Kristol |first1=Bill |last2=Eberstadt |first2=Nicholas |title=Nicholas Eberstadt on Understanding North Korea |url=http://conversationswithbillkristol.org/video/nicholas-eberstadt/ |work=Conversations with Bill Kristol |authorlink1=Bill Kristol |authorlink2=Nicholas Eberstadt}}{{cite web |title=South Korea: The Unloved Republic? | Asia Society |url=http://www.asiasociety.org/south-korea-unloved-republic |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150609101401/http://www.asiasociety.org/south-korea-unloved-republic |archive-date=9 June 2015 |access-date=12 January 2022 |website=www.asiasociety.org}}), also known as the minjok.

This version of the pledge was discontinued in July 2007, during the presidency of Roh Moo-hyun,{{cite web |last=Myers |first=Brian Reynolds |authorlink=Brian Reynolds Myers |date=December 28, 2016 |title=Still the Unloved Republic |url=http://sthelepress.com/index.php/2016/12/28/still-the-unloved-republic/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180313210134/http://sthelepress.com/index.php/2016/12/28/still-the-unloved-republic/ |archive-date=March 13, 2018 |accessdate=March 13, 2018}} and replaced with different, non-ethnic wording. The decision was criticized by some left-wing nationalists who advocated Korean reunification of the two Koreas.{{cite web |last=Myers |first=Brian Reynolds |authorlink=Brian Reynolds Myers |date=20 May 2018 |title=North Korea's state-loyalty advantage. |url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/North+Korea's+state-loyalty+advantage.-a0274114570 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20180520092751/https://www.thefreelibrary.com/North+Korea's+state-loyalty+advantage.-a0274114570 |archivedate=20 May 2018 |work=Free Online Library |quote=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 ...}} Similarly, until April 2011, the South Korean army's soldiers swore allegiance to the "Korean ethnicity" in their oaths of enlistment until that, too, was discontinued for similar reasons.

{{Portal|South Korea}}

• Flag of South Korea
• Korean ethnic nationalism
• Oath of allegiance

{{reflist|30em}}

• {{Wikiquote-inline|South Korea}}
• {{Wikiquote-inline|Racism in South Korea}}

Category:Flags of South Korea

Category:Culture of South Korea

Category:Korean nationalism

Category:National symbols of South Korea

Category:Oaths of allegiance

Category:1972 documents

Category:2007 documents