Anti-Japanese sentiment in Korea

Anti-Japanese sentiment^[a] in Korean society has its roots in historic, cultural, and nationalistic sentiments.

The first recorded anti-Japanese attitudes in Korea were expressed in response to the Japanese pirate raids and the later 1592−98 Japanese invasions of Korea.^[1] Sentiments in contemporary society are largely attributed to the Japanese rule in Korea from 1910 to 1945. A survey in 2005 found that 89% of those South Koreans polled said that they "cannot trust Japan."^[2] More recently, according to a BBC World Service Poll conducted in 2013, 67% of South Koreans view Japan's influence negatively, and 21% express a positive view. This puts South Korea behind mainland China as the country with the second most negative feelings of Japan in the world.^[3]

Lee Young-hoon and colleagues published a book entitled "Anti-Japan Tribalism" in 2019 and 2024 English editions. The book examines historical narratives in South Korea regarding Japan. It presents alternative perspectives on Korean-Japanese relations during the colonial period and afterward the authors argue that some widely-held views in South Korea about Japan stem from nationalist sentiments rather than empirical evidence. They suggest these narratives have influenced public discourse and academic scholarship. The book aims to provide a more nuanced understanding of Korean-Japanese history based on primary sources and academic research.^[4]

Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or {{efn}} templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} template or {{notelist}} template (see the help page).