"South Korean Youth and the Conscription System"

In the 1980s, when I was attending university in South Korea, there was strong resentment toward Japan, and there were almost no opportunities to learn about Japanese culture. Even in classes through high school, while there were parts that introduced Japan's remarkable post-war economic development, "negative history" such as Toyotomi Hideyoshi's invasion of Korea and Japanese colonial rule occupied a large proportion. I had little opportunity to know what kind of daily lives young people of my generation were leading. Therefore, for me, who grew up as a boy enthusiastic about TV anime such as "Astro Boy," "Gigantor," and "Mazinger Z," the shock I felt when I entered university and learned for the first time that they were Japanese was significant.

South Korean men have a mandatory military service obligation. I also enlisted during my third year of university and spent two and a half years in the military at Panmunjom, which became a topic of conversation during the North Korea–United States summits. After returning to school, I encountered a very interesting manga at a manga cafe I stopped by for a change of pace. It was "Dragon Ball." I was drawn to the fresh charm of the story, but when I visited a second time to read the rest, the police suddenly burst in and confiscated what I was reading. When I asked for an explanation, I was informed that it was because Japanese popular culture was banned in South Korea at the time. Since the internet was not as widespread as it is now, I was so curious about the rest of the content that I eventually decided to study abroad in Japan.

One of the landscapes in Japan that differs from South Korea is the absence of soldiers in the city. In South Korea, it is not unusual to encounter soldiers on leave on university campuses; you see soldiers everywhere. I have had opportunities to give lectures for citizens in Japan, and when the topic of the conscription system comes up, South Korean men are often praised for being polite and reliable. Some even express the opinion that Japan should have a conscription system to toughen up Japanese men because of that. While I am happy to be praised, I personally feel there is no need to go out of one's way to introduce a conscription system. It is often said that Japan is "peace-addled," but I envy being peace-addled more than being in a country with a conscription system. This is because the conscription system is predicated on war. However, it would be a great waste if one cannot understand the value of peace in Japan.

"South Korean Youth and the Conscription System"

Byung-chul Kim

Keio Research Center for the Liberal Arts

136 pages, 770 yen (tax included)