An Analysis Of The Influence Of Korean Nationalism From The Perspective Of National Identity

National conflict and nationalism are still the root cause of many regional and interstate conflicts after the Cold War.The "self/other" framework of national identity construction,to a large extent,brings out an "xenophobic" sentiment that usually cast a negative influence on inter-nation relations.As a country under national division and deeply bounded by great powers in geopolitics,ROK(Republic of Korea)demonstrates a rather strong national consciousness and sentiment in its encounter with others.With a distinctive cultural color and strong political tone,South Korea's nationalism produces a profound influence on the country's foreign relations.However,South Korea's foreign acts can be said as quite capricious at the first sight——while emphasizing the ROK-US alliance at the outside,South Korea has "anti-Americanism"on the rise at home;while emphasizing strategic partnership with China,South Korea insisted on the deployment of THAAD(Terminal High Altitude Area Defense)in spite of China's strong opposition.Hence,this paper believes that the influence of South Korea's nationalism on its foreign relations is yet singular.This paper starts with the de-construction of South Korea's national identity and its "self/other" framework,to explore the root of its national sentiment and appeals and the nature of Korean national identity,and ultimately how does it affect Korea's foreign relations with others.Under the paradox that the Korean peninsula splitting into two independent countries yet both of them claiming legitimate inheritance to the culture and history of the peninsula while denying others,South Korea's national identity shows an inconsistency between two dimensions.The "state-national" dimension under the political community consensus of ROK coexists with the "ethnic-national"dimension under the collective consciousness of Korean ethnicity.The "ethnic-national"dimension cannot deny the reality that the peninsula has divided into two independent states,yet the "state-national" dimension can never separate the country or its people from the genealogy of Korean peninsula.This paper argues that,it is because of the dual construction of South Korea'national identity that nationalism lays out multiple effects on Korea's foreign relations.