Toward Korea’s centennial of liberation: A nation poised between triumph and transition

 

Park Myung-lim  
 
The author is a political professor of Yonsei University.




 
With the centennial of Korea’s liberation on the horizon, now is the time to reflect on the country’s past achievements, assess its present stature and chart a course for what must be done in the years ahead. 
 
Looking back, Korea’s liberation was a brief but radiant moment of hope after a long history as a sovereign nation interrupted by colonization. Yet that hope was soon shattered by ideological confrontation, national division and war.
 

Visitors view exhibits at “Our Liberation Day,” a special exhibition commemorating the 80th anniversary of Korea’s liberation, at the Seoul Museum of History in Jongno District, central Seoul, on the afternoon of Aug. 4. [YONHAP]

 
From the ruins of the Korean War, with only the will to survive remaining, the Korean people displayed remarkable resilience. The suffering endured by individuals and communities became a crucible of transformation. The Korean cultural notion of han — a fusion of resignation and defiance — fueled a uniquely Korean form of determination and recovery.
 
National security and international alliances came first. Scarred by colonialism and war, Koreans channeled national resources into defense and forged a critical alliance with the United States. Once basic security was established, a wave of energy was unleashed. Nowhere was this more visible than in education. A sharp rise in school enrollment and student numbers led global observers to describe Korea’s transformation as an “education miracle.”
 
Economic progress followed close behind. Factories, exports, infrastructure and sweeping industrial shifts made Korea a case study in compressed development. The country not only overcame poverty but also positioned itself as a leader in innovation and growth.
 
Democracy, too, took root. Despite ongoing tensions with the North, Korea’s yearning for self-governance enabled it to achieve security, economic modernization and democratization within a single generation — an extraordinary feat by global standards. Upon reaching this milestone, international organizations began classifying Korea as part of the “First World,” a striking reversal for a country that had once symbolized Cold War division.
 
Today, Korea is a global leader in sectors like semiconductors, automobiles, smartphones, shipbuilding, consumer electronics, and defense. Its cultural exports — film, television, music and literature — are recognized and embraced worldwide. Korean brands and creative works are no longer occasional exceptions but everyday global presences.
 

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Korea’s comprehensive national power now stands just beneath the world’s major powers. In specific technologies and industries, Korea is already a global pacesetter. By traditional metrics of national power, Korea surpasses the so-called Four Asian Tigers — and even when compared to Scandinavia’s most advanced economies, Korea now matches or exceeds them in several key areas.
 
While Korea may not surpass postindustrial powers such as Britain, France, Germany or Japan across all measures, its current global standing is by no means inferior — especially when compared to certain periods in the trajectories of those nations.
 
Yet this outward success coexists with alarming internal indicators. Korea has one of the highest suicide rates and the lowest birthrates among developed countries. Social and political polarization, youth suicide, gender inequality, elderly poverty and precarious labor conditions all remain severe. Warnings about population decline, regional depopulation and even the erosion of social cohesion are increasingly urgent. In this context, Korea’s dazzling development now bears the seeds of demographic and communal erosion — a contradiction more dangerous than any external threat.
 
To overcome this, Korea must now shift from a model of growth to one of maturity. This transformation is not just strategic — it is a moral imperative for today’s adults toward future generations. If growth implies expansion and speed, maturity suggests completeness, balance and sustainability. Growth thrives on competition and acceleration, but maturity requires mutual respect and coexistence.
 
A mature society is one where stability, balance, and mutual benefit underpin public life. Korea, having raced toward material success, must now pursue the values it left behind — inclusion, welfare and well-being. The years leading to the 100th anniversary of liberation should be a period of deliberate national maturity.
 

A view of the Independence Hall of Korea in Cheonan, South Chungcheong, on Aug. 14, 2024. [YONHAP]

 
Korea has mastered learning, catching up and surpassing others. From the printing press and celadon to Hangul and the turtle ship, and now from semiconductors and shipbuilding to smartphones and culture, Korea has continually created and led. The next frontier lies in soft power: compromise, coexistence and social stability. These must also become areas where Korea leads and shares with the world.
 
Let the centennial of Korea’s liberation be marked not only by what it has achieved but by the light it can now offer to others.


Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.