[Noh Dong-il Column] The Declaration of Korean Independence Envisioned a Cultural Powerhouse

These days, international students come from an astonishing range of countries. When you ask students whose nationality is hard to guess, you often hear unexpected answers: Algeria, Puerto Rico, and many more. They almost all say their journey to study in South Korea began with falling in love with K-pop. Blackpink and BTS are just the basics; then they rattle off the names of idol groups most Koreans have never even heard of. After that, they say, they got into K-dramas, started learning Korean, and eventually decided to come here to study.
Friends in the United States say that local attitudes toward South Korea and Koreans changed noticeably before and after BTS. There are not only many young fans known as "ARMY" but also plenty of parents who are fans. Anyone who has listened to the rap music that was popular among teenagers can understand why. Parents who were appalled by lyrics laced with profanity found themselves drawn to BTS's lyrical and philosophical songs, and even began recommending them to their children. A philosopher, Kim Kwang-sik, in his book "Philosophy with BTS: From Possessing to Being" (Gimm-Young Publishers), analyzes BTS songs in terms such as the philosophy of existence in "Dynamite," the philosophy of deconstruction in "Fire," the philosophy of justice in "Spring Day," and the philosophy of irony in "Boy With Luv." Reading this, you realize the praise is not exaggerated. We are truly living in the golden age of K-culture.
"How many opportunities have we lost to contribute to and enrich the great currents of world culture with our new and keen originality?" This line comes from the Declaration of Korean Independence, proclaimed on March 1, 1919. To be honest, I used to feel a certain dissatisfaction with that declaration. For a declaration of independence by a colonized people under foreign rule, it struck me as almost too polite. Should it not have sharply condemned the atrocities of Japanese imperialism and expressed a fierce determination to win independence? I sometimes thought it should have contained more overt resistance, something like "Give me liberty or give me death" or a vow to "take up arms without hesitation."
The United States Declaration of Independence of 1776 branded King George III of Great Britain a "tyrant" and listed 27 specific abuses of colonial rule. "He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people." The 1916 Proclamation of the Irish Republic openly declared armed struggle. "The Irish people have, in the past three hundred years, risen in arms six times in assertion of their national rights. We now again proclaim in arms before the world that the Irish Republic is a sovereign independent state." The 1945 Declaration of Independence of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam exposed the horrors of French and Japanese colonial rule: "Our people have become poorer and more miserable. From the end of last year to the beginning of this year, more than two million of our compatriots died of starvation from Quang Tri Province to northern Vietnam."
By contrast, the Declaration of Korean Independence states, "It is not to condemn Japan for its lack of faith" and goes on to say, "We do not intend to reproach Japan for its lack of righteousness." The passage, "We, who are busy chastising and encouraging ourselves, have no time to resent or blame others," can feel somewhat frustrating. At a moment when even a fierce denunciation of Japan and a vow of bitter retribution would not have seemed excessive, the declaration appears to step back in advance.
Yet 107 years after the Declaration of Korean Independence, I have come to believe that our forebears' stance was the right one. In his book "How Did BTS Embrace the World?" (Ppubwar Publishing), Noh Seong-ho argues that South Korean culture, propelled by the Korean Wave, could become the world's "key currency" of culture. First, he says, Korean culture itself has overwhelming competitiveness. A competitive culture is one that third parties choose over others. Second, he points to the "positive image of South Korea." As a country that was never an imperial power and is the only nation to have escaped colonial rule and risen to the ranks of advanced economies, South Korea serves as a role model for many others. Third, he notes that the times favor South Korea: thanks to the spread of the internet and YouTube, people anywhere on the planet can interact with the world and share songs, videos, and all kinds of content.
Former President Syngman Rhee described the March First Movement this way: "In the history of the world, this was the first nonviolent, passive resistance revolutionary movement, and this method of revolution was first invented in Korea." The word "invented" stands out. Inciting hatred and calling for armed struggle was not our way. What might have looked weak on the surface was in fact a peaceful protest grounded in "justice and humanity," and it is thanks to that that we now live in an era when Korea's "positive image" can shine across the world through culture. Just as the Declaration of Korean Independence envisioned, the "opportunity to contribute to and enrich the great currents of world culture with our new and keen originality" has quietly arrived before us. "We shall fully preserve our inherent right to freedom, freely enjoy the pleasures of a free life, and, by exercising our abundant originality, cause a radiant national culture to blossom in this world filled with the breath of spring." The brilliant culture of the Republic of Korea (South Korea) is not something we created alone. We must remember that it has finally come into full bloom in our time, rooted in the sacrifices and foresight of those who came before us.
dinoh7869@fnnews.com Editor-in-Chief Reporter