Nationalism and the Korean Tradition, 1896-1920: Iconoclasm, Reform, and National Identity

Modern Korean nationalism emerged from a process of reform and reexamination of Korean society and history sparked by the confrontation with Western powers in the latter half of the nineteenth century. The evolution of a nationalist ideology involved an iconoclastic reevaluation of accepted political theories and institutions. In particular, the Confucian social system, the Korean folk tradition, and the traditional Korean relationship with China were subjected to extensive criticism and reevaluation. In the writings of nationalist intellectuals between 1896 and the early 1920s can be traced the development of a new Korean nationalism which attempted to blend Western political theories and indigenous Korean political patterns.