[ The World Times ] Historical Consciousness in a Multicultural Age
2020. 7. 6. 04:04 from English/Reading & Writting English BookDuring the Japanese colonization period, a great deal of Korean history books were written with a strong nationalistic approach. However, quite a few historians recently claimed that there must be an overhaul in the way people look at histories and cultures that differ from their own. As Korea becomes increasingly multicultural, the country's historical education seems to be embracing cultures of minority groups rather than just focusing on Korea's national identity.
A student reporter from junior media outlet Bop Magazine stated that he became interested in learning the history of Southeast Asia after meeting with immigrants from that region in Ansan. He encouraged his readers to respect their cultures.
Reporter Kim Seung-won from Bop says he was at first overwhelmed by the sheer mass of information he had to learn due to the new history system that teaches about Southeast Asia, which was not considered important prior to his reaching high school.
His trip to Korea's most multicultural city, Ansan, changed his perspective. "I heard many different languages in Ansan and saw Indonesian people singing Indonesian songs on the streets. Personally, such sights were very exotic scenes because it was all new to me," Kim said. At dinner time, he ate Vietnamese noodles. The owner was Vietnamese but spoke Korean fluently and even gave him a discount of $10 (W12,407) because he was a student.
A picture of Tran Hung Dao, a great general of Vietnam who protected the country from the Mongolians in the 13th century, caught Kim's eye. Kim says just as Koreans respect Admiral Yi sun-sin, who protected the Korean peninsula and became a hero of Korea, the Vietnamese respect Tran Hung Dao.
After realizing the significance of other cultures and learning to respect people of various origins, Kim can proudly say that he wants to learn more about the history of Southeast Asia. He pointed out that unfortunately about 30 percent of Southeast Asian students studying in Korean elementary schools are still being bullied simply because of their cultural background.
From the way Kim sees it, Korean culture does not seem to embrace Southeast Asian cultures. Despite the fact that the Korean press recently reported about a Filipino kid cheering for the Korean soccer team at the World Cup Stadium and a Vietnamese woman who is adapting to Korean Confucian culture, Kim does not believe these are real examples of multiculturalism, as they only emphasize Korean culture. "Southeast Asians wouldn't want to lose sight of their true selves," Kim said. Learning the history of Southeast Asia is crucial to bridge the gap between Koreans and immigrants.
*embrace v. (껴)안다, 포옹하다 / They embraced and promised to keep in touch.
(생각,제의 등을 열렬히) 받아들이다, 수용하다 / to embrace democracy, feminism, Islam
포괄하다, 아우르다 / The talks embraced a wide range of issues.
*bully n. (약자를) 괴롭히는 사람. / the school bully.
v. (약자를) 괴롭히다, 왕따시키다, 협박하다 / My son is being bullied at school.
*confucian ad. 유교의
*emphasize v. 강조하다 / His speech emphasized the importance of attracting industry to the town.
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