Pledge of Allegiance (South Korea)

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The South Korean flag, also known as the Taegeukgi (lit. '"Supreme ultimate flag"').

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.

## History

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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]

## Text of the pledge

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### 1972 version

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#### Korean-language version

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> 나는 자랑스런 태극기 앞에 조국과 민족의 무궁한 영광을 위하여 몸과 마음을 바쳐 충성을 다할 것을 굳게 다짐합니다.[4]

#### Korean-language transliteration

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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

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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)

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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

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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

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#### Korean-language version (official version)

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

#### Korean-language transliteration

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

#### Official English-language translation

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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

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

#### Literal English translation

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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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## Controversy

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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[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]

## See also

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* South Korea portal

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

## References

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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.
2. ^ a b 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.
3. ^ 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.
4. ^ "국가기록원 기록물뷰어".
5. ^ a b "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."
6. ^ Kristol, Bill; Eberstadt, Nicholas. "Nicholas Eberstadt Transcript". Conversations with Bill Kristol.
7. ^ Kristol, Bill; Eberstadt, Nicholas. "Nicholas Eberstadt on Understanding North Korea". Conversations with Bill Kristol.
8. ^ "South Korea: The Unloved Republic? | Asia Society". www.asiasociety.org. Archived from the original on 9 June 2015. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
9. ^ Myers, Brian Reynolds (December 28, 2016). "Still the Unloved Republic". Archived from the original on March 13, 2018. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
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 ..."

## External links

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

*[lit.]: literal translation