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Memories of the Donghak Peasant War: Focusing on the Park Chung-hee Era

Japanese (日本語)

国際協力論集

32

57-71

神戸大学大学院国際協力研究科

2024-12-20

This study examines the transformation of the public perception of the Donghak Peasant War during Park Chung-hee’s regime in South Korea, using the framework of collective memory. The analysis reveals that Park Chung-hee frequently referenced the Donghak Peasant War to legitimize his military coup and subsequent political actions. By framing the war as a historical event where Koreans overthrew an old order through their efforts, Park aligned his military coup with this narrative, enhancing his authority and fostering national pride. Additionally, the Park regime also reinterpreted the Donghak Peasant War as a symbol of selfsacrifice and national consciousness, presenting it as a moral example for the public. This reinterpretation was strategically motivated by two main goals: demonstrating a commitment to democracy to the international community and mobilizing the nation for economic development amid the Cold War’s communist threat. As these contexts evolved, the symbolic significance of the Donghak Peasant War shifted accordingly. In the 1960s, the war was emphasized as an anti-feudal movement highlighting national consciousness. However, as security threats grew in the late 1960s, the focus on democratic ideals diminished. Park instead emphasized his leadership and indigenous traditions like the Hwarangdo to justify the lack of democratic practices. This study calls for further exploration into why counternarratives did not emerge more prominently during Park’s regime, suggesting that many historians at the time shared the discourse of national consciousness. This study provides an initial analysis of Park Chung-hee’s strategies regarding the memory of the Donghak Peasant War, contributing to a deeper understanding of the evolution of collective memory in South Korea.

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