South Korea’s memory of its colonial past still forms an important part of
the agenda in Japan-South Korea relations. The press coverage for South Korea’s
Independence Movement Day on March 1 and Liberation Day on August 15
has played an extremely important role in spreading such sentiments among
the Korean public. However, past studies have not examined the features of the
press coverage for these anniversaries, changes to these features, or the impact
that Japan-South Korea relations have had on these anniversary press. This
paper clarifies the features of the press coverage for these anniversaries based
on an analysis of the editorials and special articles published in the Chosun Ilbo
and Donga Ilbo newspapers after the end of the Korean War. It also examines
how these features have appeared and changed in light of the restoration of
diplomatic ties between Japan and South Korea. The research results revealed
the following findings. In the 1950s, the press coverage for the March 1 anniversary
was perceived as “anniversary based on nationhood” and it mainly focused
on the memory of colonial rule. In contrast, the press coverage for the August
15 anniversary was perceived as an “anniversary based on statehood” and it
mainly focused on the development of the state (i.e., the Republic of Korea).
Later, when the restoration of diplomatic ties between Japan and South Korea
was about to be realized in the 1960s, these differences evolved into two different
types of behavior: ⑴ an emphasis on the significance of the memory of the country’s colonial past and ⑵ an emphasis on contemporary problems associated
with statehood, such as economic growth or poverty. However, after the
restoration of diplomatic ties was concluded in 1965, the memory of colonial
rule also became a significant part of the agenda for the August 15 anniversary
in the sense of avoiding the possibility of this restoration leading to a re-subordination
to Japan. In conclusion, the country’s memory of its colonial past was
set as an essential part of the agenda for relations with Japan in press coverage
for the March 1 and August 15 anniversaries by the restoration of diplomatic
ties between Japan and South Korea.
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