Anti-Korean sentiment in China
Encyclopedia
The anti-Korean sentiment in China refers to opposition, hostility, hatred, distrust, fear, and general dislike of Korean people
, culture and anything having to do with either that occurs in both the People's Republic of China
and the Republic of China
(commonly known as Taiwan
).
South Korea established official relations with the People's Republic of China in 1992, and relations between the two states gradually improved. Within the Chinese population, Korean art and culture became popular
in the 21st century. Amid improvements in relations however, there was also looming anti-South Korean sentiment involved in various disputes between the two countries. While it may be regarded as anti-Korean
in general, the view of North Korea
ns are consistent. Instead, it seems, the recent increase of hostility is solely directed at South Korea
ns.
has played about 30 matches against the South Korean team since 1978 but has never been able to beat them. Frustration has possibly led to several violent outbreaks against South Koreans in football games hosted in China, such as the Olympic preliminary match in 1999, friendship match in 2001, and another Olympics preliminary match in 2004.
In a Korea-China friendship football match held in Beijing
, in 2000, South Korean spectators were violently beaten by Chinese spectators as the Chinese team lost. In 2004 during an Athens Olympics football preliminary match held in Changsha, China, Chinese spectators responded with violence as the Chinese team lost, resulting in the injury of one Korean spectator.
During the 2002 FIFA World Cup
hosted in Korea and Japan, the Chinese media made several negative reports about South Korea. As the South Korean team progressed through the tournament, the Chinese media stated that the South Korean team was winning because of unfair play and preferential treatment.
Anti-South Korean sentiment was also apparent among ordinary Chinese in China. It has been reported that ethnic Koreans in China were afraid of openly cheering for Korean teams due to hostility from local Chinese.
, China
, a group of South Korean athletes held up signs during the award ceremony which contained text that read "Mount Baekdu is our territory". Chinese sports officials delivered a letter of protest to criticize that those political activities violated the spirit of the Olympics. This incident has become a source for anti-Korea sentiment in China.
Those sentiments in China, along with similar anti-Chinese sentiments in Korea, became more prominent as a result of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. During the Seoul leg of the 2008 Olympic torch relay
, Chinese students clashed with protesters. Numerous projectiles were thrown towards the South Korean protesters, injuring one newspaper reporter. Chinese supporters of the Beijing Olympics also engaged in mob violence, notably in the lobby of Seoul Plaza Hotel, against South Korean protesters, Tibetans, Western tourists, and police officers.
Further controversy was generated when Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS) leaked footage of rehearsals of the 2008 Beijing Olympics opening ceremony
. A Beijing Olympic official expressed his disappointment over the leakage. This incident has been widely reported in the Chinese media, as can be seen as the impetus to the dislike and distrust towards South Koreans amongst Chinese.
Throughout the events, the Chinese spectators often booed the South Korean athletes and cheered for competing nations. These attitudes were widely reported within the South Korean media, however the issue which became the subject of most attention was that Chinese spectators chose to cheer for Japanese athletes when competing against South Korea, an action previously seen as taboo in earlier years as a result of Anti-Japanese sentiment in China
. Analysts in China and abroad claim that Chinese are supporting Japanese players in return for their goodwill gestures towards China, noting a notable improvement in relations, which were previously mounted with arguments regarding topics such as World War II atrocities.
animosity between Taiwanese and Koreans is present as a result of the rivalry between the two sovereign states in relation to baseball.
Although baseball has a significant following in Taiwan, Chinese Taipei
has never been able to win against the South Korean team, which is the leading cause of frustration and resentment towards Korea amongst baseball fans. Taiwanese media made various controversial reports on South Korean baseball players; in one instance, the Taiwan edition of Now News called Choo Shin-soo, a Korean outfielder in the Cleveland Indians, Gaoli Bangzi (高麗棒子), a derogatory slur against Koreans. The slur was later removed, but not before South Korean media reported on it. Chinese Taipei baseball fans often refer to the South Korean baseball team as Gaoli Paocai (高麗泡菜; Goryeo
kimchi
) and Gaoli Bangzi, whilst verbal attacks against South Korean baseball players within the United States are also common.
Many Chinese Nationals of Korean descent also suffer from discrimination. Many of them work in "3D" jobs
, referring to dirty, difficult and dangerous work conditions.
Huang Youfu, an ethnic Korean professor at the Minzu University of China noted that articles written by joseonjok about the discrimination in South Korea was a major source of anti-South Korean sentiment in China amongst netizens.
intangible cultural heritage
. China claimed the Gangneung Danoje Festival derived from the Chinese Dragonboat Festival, and pursued a joint-registration of Gangneung Danoje Festival and Chinese Dragonboat Festival.
South Korea held the position that the Gangneung Danoje Festival is a unique cultural tradition of Gangneung
, Korea, completely different from the Chinese Dragonboat Festival, and rejected Chinese contentions for joint-registration. Despite Chinese opposition, UNESCO has registered the Gangneung Danoje Festival as an intangible cultural heritage. Upon registration, the Chinese media began making accusations of South Korea stealing Chinese culture, and expressed regret and humiliation at losing Chinese Dragonboat Festival to South Korea.
The UNESCO intangible heritage controversy was followed by a series of similar accusations from the Chinese media and the Chinese internet. In 2007, unsubstantiated reports from the Chinese media that South Korea is attempting to register Chinese characters at UNESCO has generated significant controversy. These false reports has also spread to Hong Kong and Taiwanese media.
Influenced by these issues, South Korea was elected as the most hated country in an internet survey on Chinese netizens, according to Chinese news 国际先驱导报 in 2007. However, despite the internet debate, China's view of Korea is a generally fine.One survey reports "good relations" reached 50.2% of the respondents, the "general" up to 40.8% while "an anti-Korean sentiment" of the small proportion of respondents was only 4.4 to 6.1%.
, such as fake products, Shanzhai
, public indecency in poorer districts, and general negative portrayal of Chinese people. Chinese websites widely reported on the new "online phenomena", causing backlash from Chinese netizens.
.
was elected as the president of South Korea and inclined to be engaged more in pro-US diplomacy. The closer military tie between the US and South Korea has raised a concern in China.
In 2010, China has warned the U.S. and South Korean navies to keep out of the Yellow Sea, followed by a series of U.S.-South Korean manoeuvre conducted in the Sea of Japan off Korea's east coast and in the Yellow Sea closer to China's shores. China interpreted these military ties as an obsolete relic of the Cold War
.
Korean people
The Korean people are an ethnic group originating in the Korean peninsula and Manchuria. Koreans are one of the most ethnically and linguistically homogeneous groups in the world.-Names:...
, culture and anything having to do with either that occurs in both the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
and the Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
(commonly known as Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
).
South Korea established official relations with the People's Republic of China in 1992, and relations between the two states gradually improved. Within the Chinese population, Korean art and culture became popular
Korean wave
The Korean Wave, also known as the Hallyu , refers to spread of South Korean culture around the world. The term was coined in China in mid-1999 by Beijing journalists surprised by the fast growing popularity of Korean entertainment and culture in China...
in the 21st century. Amid improvements in relations however, there was also looming anti-South Korean sentiment involved in various disputes between the two countries. While it may be regarded as anti-Korean
Anti-Korean sentiment
Anti-Korean sentiment involves hatred or dislike for Korean people, culture or either of the two states on the Korean peninsula.- Origins :...
in general, the view of North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
ns are consistent. Instead, it seems, the recent increase of hostility is solely directed at South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
ns.
Football
Konghanzheng, a term coined by Chinese football fans, refers to a persistent phenomenon where the Chinese national football teamChina national football team
The China PR national football team is the national association football team of the People's Republic of China and is governed by the Chinese Football Association...
has played about 30 matches against the South Korean team since 1978 but has never been able to beat them. Frustration has possibly led to several violent outbreaks against South Koreans in football games hosted in China, such as the Olympic preliminary match in 1999, friendship match in 2001, and another Olympics preliminary match in 2004.
In a Korea-China friendship football match held in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, in 2000, South Korean spectators were violently beaten by Chinese spectators as the Chinese team lost. In 2004 during an Athens Olympics football preliminary match held in Changsha, China, Chinese spectators responded with violence as the Chinese team lost, resulting in the injury of one Korean spectator.
During the 2002 FIFA World Cup
2002 FIFA World Cup
The 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0...
hosted in Korea and Japan, the Chinese media made several negative reports about South Korea. As the South Korean team progressed through the tournament, the Chinese media stated that the South Korean team was winning because of unfair play and preferential treatment.
Anti-South Korean sentiment was also apparent among ordinary Chinese in China. It has been reported that ethnic Koreans in China were afraid of openly cheering for Korean teams due to hostility from local Chinese.
Asian Winter Games
During the 2007 Asian Winter Games held in ChangchunChangchun
Changchun is the capital and largest city of Jilin province, located in the northeast of the People's Republic of China, in the center of the Songliao Plain. It is administered as a sub-provincial city with a population of 7,677,089 at the 2010 census under its jurisdiction, including counties and...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, a group of South Korean athletes held up signs during the award ceremony which contained text that read "Mount Baekdu is our territory". Chinese sports officials delivered a letter of protest to criticize that those political activities violated the spirit of the Olympics. This incident has become a source for anti-Korea sentiment in China.
Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics torch relay
The 2008 Summer Olympics torch relay was run from March 24 until August 8, 2008, prior to the 2008 Summer Olympics, with the theme of "one world, one dream". Plans for the relay were announced on April 26, 2007, in Beijing, China...
, Chinese students clashed with protesters. Numerous projectiles were thrown towards the South Korean protesters, injuring one newspaper reporter. Chinese supporters of the Beijing Olympics also engaged in mob violence, notably in the lobby of Seoul Plaza Hotel, against South Korean protesters, Tibetans, Western tourists, and police officers.
Further controversy was generated when Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS) leaked footage of rehearsals of the 2008 Beijing Olympics opening ceremony
2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony
The 2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony was held at the Beijing National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest. It began at 8:00 pm China Standard Time on August 8, 2008, as 8 is considered to be a lucky number. The number 8 is associated with prosperity and confidence in Chinese culture...
. A Beijing Olympic official expressed his disappointment over the leakage. This incident has been widely reported in the Chinese media, as can be seen as the impetus to the dislike and distrust towards South Koreans amongst Chinese.
Throughout the events, the Chinese spectators often booed the South Korean athletes and cheered for competing nations. These attitudes were widely reported within the South Korean media, however the issue which became the subject of most attention was that Chinese spectators chose to cheer for Japanese athletes when competing against South Korea, an action previously seen as taboo in earlier years as a result of Anti-Japanese sentiment in China
Anti-Japanese sentiment in China
Anti-Japanese sentiment in China is an issue with modern roots . Modern anti-Japanese sentiment in China is often rooted in nationalist or historical conflict, particularly in Japan's Japanese history textbook controversies....
. Analysts in China and abroad claim that Chinese are supporting Japanese players in return for their goodwill gestures towards China, noting a notable improvement in relations, which were previously mounted with arguments regarding topics such as World War II atrocities.
Baseball
Within the Republic of ChinaRepublic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
animosity between Taiwanese and Koreans is present as a result of the rivalry between the two sovereign states in relation to baseball.
Although baseball has a significant following in Taiwan, Chinese Taipei
Chinese Taipei
Chinese Taipei is the designated name used by the Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan, to participate in some international organizations and almost all sporting events, such as the Olympics, Paralympics, Asian Games and Asian Para Games...
has never been able to win against the South Korean team, which is the leading cause of frustration and resentment towards Korea amongst baseball fans. Taiwanese media made various controversial reports on South Korean baseball players; in one instance, the Taiwan edition of Now News called Choo Shin-soo, a Korean outfielder in the Cleveland Indians, Gaoli Bangzi (高麗棒子), a derogatory slur against Koreans. The slur was later removed, but not before South Korean media reported on it. Chinese Taipei baseball fans often refer to the South Korean baseball team as Gaoli Paocai (高麗泡菜; Goryeo
Goryeo
The Goryeo Dynasty or Koryŏ was a Korean dynasty established in 918 by Emperor Taejo. Korea gets its name from this kingdom which came to be pronounced Korea. It united the Later Three Kingdoms in 936 and ruled most of the Korean peninsula until it was removed by the Joseon dynasty in 1392...
kimchi
Kimchi
Kimchi , also spelled gimchi, kimchee, or kim chee, is a traditional fermented Korean dish made of vegetables with varied seasonings. There are hundreds of varieties of kimchi made with a main vegetable ingredient such as napa cabbage, radish, green onions or cucumber. It is the most common...
) and Gaoli Bangzi, whilst verbal attacks against South Korean baseball players within the United States are also common.
Chinese diaspora and students
Another source of Anti-South Korean sentiment within China originates from reports by a number of overseas Chinese students in Korea, who experienced negative attitudes of local Koreans. It is reported that they are discriminated against based on the stereotype that they are uncivil, poor, and ignored by Koreans. Such reports by students claim that they are discriminated against based on the assumption that they are viewed as uncivil, poor and are excluded or ignored by Koreans.Many Chinese Nationals of Korean descent also suffer from discrimination. Many of them work in "3D" jobs
Dirty, Dangerous and Demeaning
Dirty, Dangerous and Demeaning , also known as the 3Ds, is an American neologism derived from an Asian concept, and refers to certain kinds of labor often performed by unionized blue-collar workers.The term originated from the Japanese expression 3K: kitanai, kiken, and kitsui, and has...
, referring to dirty, difficult and dangerous work conditions.
Huang Youfu, an ethnic Korean professor at the Minzu University of China noted that articles written by joseonjok about the discrimination in South Korea was a major source of anti-South Korean sentiment in China amongst netizens.
Media
In 2005, anti-South Korean sentiments in China became a major trend as China began disputing South Korea’s attempts to register the Gangneung Danoje Festival as a UNESCOUNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
intangible cultural heritage
Intangible cultural heritage
The concept of intangible cultural heritage emerged in the 1990s, as a counterpart to the World Heritage that focuses mainly on tangible aspects of culture...
. China claimed the Gangneung Danoje Festival derived from the Chinese Dragonboat Festival, and pursued a joint-registration of Gangneung Danoje Festival and Chinese Dragonboat Festival.
South Korea held the position that the Gangneung Danoje Festival is a unique cultural tradition of Gangneung
Gangneung
Gangneung is a city in Gangwon-do, on the east coast of South Korea. It has a population of 229,869 . Gangneung is the economic centre of the Yeongdong region of eastern Gangwon Province. Gangneung has many tourist attractions, like Jeongdongjin, one of the most famous towns in Korea...
, Korea, completely different from the Chinese Dragonboat Festival, and rejected Chinese contentions for joint-registration. Despite Chinese opposition, UNESCO has registered the Gangneung Danoje Festival as an intangible cultural heritage. Upon registration, the Chinese media began making accusations of South Korea stealing Chinese culture, and expressed regret and humiliation at losing Chinese Dragonboat Festival to South Korea.
The UNESCO intangible heritage controversy was followed by a series of similar accusations from the Chinese media and the Chinese internet. In 2007, unsubstantiated reports from the Chinese media that South Korea is attempting to register Chinese characters at UNESCO has generated significant controversy. These false reports has also spread to Hong Kong and Taiwanese media.
Influenced by these issues, South Korea was elected as the most hated country in an internet survey on Chinese netizens, according to Chinese news 国际先驱导报 in 2007. However, despite the internet debate, China's view of Korea is a generally fine.One survey reports "good relations" reached 50.2% of the respondents, the "general" up to 40.8% while "an anti-Korean sentiment" of the small proportion of respondents was only 4.4 to 6.1%.
Continent series
The continent series (Chinese: 大陆系列; Korean: 대륙시리즈) refers to a series of images posted on blogs and forums throughout the South Korean online community created in late 2008, ridiculing negative aspects of Mainland ChinaMainland China
Mainland China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China . According to the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council, the term excludes the PRC Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and...
, such as fake products, Shanzhai
Shanzhai
Shanzhai refers to Chinese imitation and pirated brands and goods, particularly electronics. Literally "mountain village" or "mountain stronghold", the term refers to the mountain stockades of regional warlords or bandits, far away from official control...
, public indecency in poorer districts, and general negative portrayal of Chinese people. Chinese websites widely reported on the new "online phenomena", causing backlash from Chinese netizens.
Psychological perspective
From a psychological perspective, Chinese are seen as assuming Koreans to be part of a Sino-centric East Asian regional order. As a part of this group, Koreans are assumed to be inherently friendly to China. Chinese also emphasize hierarchy within their Sino-centric order, where China is at the top of the hierarchy. In contrast, Koreans reject the Sino-centric East Asian regional order and emphasize equality in diplomatic relations in East Asia. This rejection leads to conflict of existential identities, threatening the very meaning of being Korean and Chinese. Koreans and Chinese are seen as engaging in a relationship of negative interdependence, potentially comparable to Israeli–Palestinian conflictIsraeli–Palestinian conflict
The Israeli–Palestinian conflict is the ongoing conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. The conflict is wide-ranging, and the term is also used in reference to the earlier phases of the same conflict, between Jewish and Zionist yishuv and the Arab population living in Palestine under Ottoman or...
.
Political perspective
In 2008, Lee Myung-bakLee Myung-bak
Lee Myung-bak is the President of South Korea. Prior to his presidency, he was the CEO of Hyundai Engineering and Construction and the mayor of Seoul. He is married to Kim Yoon-ok and has three daughters and one son. His older brother is Lee Sang-deuk, a South Korean politician. He attends the...
was elected as the president of South Korea and inclined to be engaged more in pro-US diplomacy. The closer military tie between the US and South Korea has raised a concern in China.
In 2010, China has warned the U.S. and South Korean navies to keep out of the Yellow Sea, followed by a series of U.S.-South Korean manoeuvre conducted in the Sea of Japan off Korea's east coast and in the Yellow Sea closer to China's shores. China interpreted these military ties as an obsolete relic of the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
.
See also
- Anti-Korean sentimentAnti-Korean sentimentAnti-Korean sentiment involves hatred or dislike for Korean people, culture or either of the two states on the Korean peninsula.- Origins :...
- Anti-Japanese sentiment in ChinaAnti-Japanese sentiment in ChinaAnti-Japanese sentiment in China is an issue with modern roots . Modern anti-Japanese sentiment in China is often rooted in nationalist or historical conflict, particularly in Japan's Japanese history textbook controversies....
- Racism in the People's Republic of ChinaRacism in the People's Republic of ChinaEthnic issues in the People's Republic of China are complex and arise from the influences of Chinese history, Chinese nationalism, and many other factors. Ethnic issues have driven multiple Chinese historical movements, including Red Turban Rebellion — which targeted Mongol leaderships of the Yuan...
- Sinophobia#Korea