Appropriation of hanbok

 

China should stop 'stealing' Korean culture

 

The hanbok has emerged as a hot-button issue between Korea and China, after a woman dressed in traditional Korean costume appeared representing an ethnic minority of China during the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics, Friday night. The woman, dressed in a white and pink hanbok, was among people representing 56 minorities of China carrying the Chinese national flag into the stadium.

 

Such a scene has touched off strong reactions here, with netizens and even major presidential candidates decrying it as part of China's apparent appropriation of Korean culture. In a sense, it may be natural for the woman in hanbok to attend the ceremony representing ethnic Koreans as part of the 56 minorities in China. Yet it was inappropriate as it might give the impression to global audiences that the hanbok is part of China's unique culture despite Korea's own sovereignty. Also, such an act will likely fuel anti-China sentiment among Koreans.

 

China has come under strong criticism for its attempts to claim Korea's ancient kingdoms of Goguryeo and Balhae as part of its own history under the so-called “Northeast Project” since the early 2000s. Furthermore, it has been laying claim to Korea's traditional culture such as kimchi and hanbok as its own. Recently, some ultranationalists of China infuriated Korean people by claiming the hanbok that appeared in the Netflix drama “Kingdom,” as well as other dramas and shows, as its own attire, “hanfu” dating back to the Ming Dynasty.

 

On Saturday, Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), criticized the Chinese authorities for “misusing the festive event for cultural appropriation.” Yoon Suk-yeol, the presidential contender of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), stressed Goguryeo and Balhae are part of the glorious and proud history of Korea. “They do not belong to others.”

 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement on the issue Sunday, saying, “We have been conveying our stance to the Chinese side that it is necessary to respect cultural uniqueness and diversity to promote mutual understanding. “We will continue our efforts toward that end.” The ministry should squarely tackle the issue and any attempts to distort historical facts or “steal” our own culture while pushing to improve relations between Seoul and Beijing.

 

What is worrisome is the growing antagonism among the peoples of the two countries, especially among youngsters. Chinese people should realize any attitude of “China's supremacy” beyond national pride cannot be condoned in international society. They should respect other people's cultures. Korean citizens, for their part, should respond to the matter calmly and reasonably. Any emotional reactions would be unhelpful for bilateral relations.

 

Political parties should not attempt to exploit the issue for their political gains in the run-up to the presidential election. This year marks the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries. Both nations need to ponder about ways to improve their relations.