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The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag (Korean: 국기에 대한 맹세; Hanja: 國旗에 對한 盟誓, lit. '"Oath facing 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.
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.[2][3]
1972 version[edit]Korean-language version[edit]
Korean-language transliteration[edit]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[edit]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. Alternate English translation (with notations)[edit]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]. Literal English translation[edit]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. |
2007 version[edit]Korean-language version (official version)[edit]
Korean-language transliteration[edit]Naneun jarangseureoun Taegeukgi ape jayuropgo jeoneuiroun Daehanmingug ae mugunghan yeonggwangeul wihayeo chungseongeul dahal geoseul gutge dajimhamnida. Official English-language translation[edit]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[edit]I, standing before the noble Taegeuk flag, solemnly pledge allegiance to the Republic of Korea, to its glory, liberty and justice. Literal English translation[edit]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. |
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[2][3][5][6][7][8]), also known as the minjok.
This version of the pledge was discontinued in July 2007, during the presidency of Roh Moo-hyun,[9] and replaced with different, non-ethnic wording. The decision was criticized by some left-wing nationalists who advocated Korean reunification of the two Koreas.[10] 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.[5]
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.
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 ...