For those of you who castigated me for even daring to suggest that perhaps there might be some less-than-flattering links between Nazi (어머머 - he used the "N-Word!"), Japanese, and even Korean racial/national ideologies – check out this post done with the help of two great K-Bloggers, The Marmot and Antti (they're both in my links). The original post is here, which is quite information and provides the original Korean. I've stolen that for you below, lest it disappear.
I'm not saying nuthin' about any concrete historical links between North Korea and said "N-Word" ideologies, but the resemblance of both its general ideological manifestation and even the specific tenets it espouses are frightening. Ideologically, North Korea has cut itself off from the rest of the world, making the time capsule-like quality of its rhetoric in a world influenced by all kinds of changing thinking about race, culture, and nation over the last 50 years quite fascinating actually.
And more than even the Nazis, what struck me as even more ironically interesting is how much the Norkies' "Asian race" over the imperialist West reminds me – and quite starkly so – of the justification for Japanese notions of race as it fit into their imperial schemes.
Now, before people start roasting me for implying that I think North Korea is trying to take over the world or establish some kind of North Korean version of a "Co-Prosperity Sphere", let me just say that certain similarities are patently obvious, and I am just pointing them out. With that, one might also be able to say that there are implications for what this means when you stick this up against South Korean ideology in relation to race and nation, which is definitely forced to interact with more critical and liberal interpretations of such things.
Sometimes, in reading North Korean rhetorical rantings, I have felt that the Norkies have sometimes had a point (although often drowned in needless boasting and propagandistic rhetoric), but this is a case in which the North's standoffishness, resistance to change, and true hermitism has left it standing out as an embarrassing anachronism that truly reminds one of the Bad Ole' Days of times and dangerous ideologies past.
Here's the translation of this Rodong Sinmun article, lifted from Antti's post:
로동신문 《<다민족,다인종사회>론은 민족말살론》
(평양 4월 27일발 조선중앙통신)27일부 《로동신문》은 《<다민족,다인종사회>론은 민족말살론》이라는 제목으로 된 다음과 같은 개인필명의 론평을 실었다.
최 근 남조선에서 우리 민족의 본질적특성을 거세하고 《다민족,다인종사회》화를 추구하는 괴이한 놀음이 벌어지고있다. Recently bizarre pursuits for a 'multinational, multiracial society' are appearing in South Korea, weakening the basic characteristics of our nation.
이 소동의 연출자들은 남조선이 미국인 등 여러 인종의 피가 섞인 《혼혈의 지역》이라느니, 《페쇄적인 민족주의 극복》이니, 미국과 같은 《다민족국가의 포용성과 개방성》이니 하는 황당한 설을 들고나오고있다. The perpetrators of this agitation are presenting strange ideas like "area of mixed blood", "overcoming the close-minded nationalism" or "inclusiveness and openness of a multinatioal country" like United States.
말마디자체도 민족적감정에 칼질하는것이지만 보다 엄중한것은 이 반민족적인 《다민족,다인종사회》론이 벌써 론의단계를 벗어났다는데 있다. 이미 지금까지 《단군의 후손》,《한피줄》,《한겨레》 등을 강조하여온 초등학교,중고등학교교과서에 2009년부터 《다인종,다민족문화》와 관련된 내용을 포함시키며 《국제결혼가정》,《외국인근로자가정》 등의 용어도 《다문화가정》으로 바꾸기로 하였다.
민족적분노를 금할수 없게 하는 말그대로의 망동이 아닐수 없다. This is nothing but agitation which necessarily evokes national wrath.
결 론부터 말한다면 남조선의 친미사대매국세력이 운운하는 《다민족,다인종사회》론은 민족의 단일성을 부정하고 남조선을 이민족화,잡탕화,미국화하려는 용납 못할 민족말살론이다. The conclusion of this is that the "multinational, multiracial society" of the South Korean pro-US flunkeyist traitor forces denies the unity of the Korean people (minjok), displaces, muddles, and Americanizes the Korean people, and is an unforgivable idea for national destruction.
민 족은 력사적으로 형성된 민족성원들의 사회생활단위이고 운명공동체이며 해당 민족은 다른 민족과 구별되는 특성이 있어 민족으로 존재하는것이다. 사람들의 운명과 사회발전은 민족과 떼여놓고 생각할수 없다. 민족성은 개별적인 사람과 사회발전에서 중요한 무기로 된다. 하기에 모든 민족이 자기의 고유성을 귀중히 여기고 우수성을 부각시키며 그것으로 민족성원들을 각성,단합시키는데 힘을 넣고있다. 《세계화》의 물결이 어지럽게 범람하는 오늘날 그에 대처하여 민족성을 더욱 내세우며 그 보호의 장벽을 쌓으면 쌓았지 스스로 부정하는 나라와 민족은 없다.
지배주의와 식민주의가 약소민족들의 운명을 위협하는 현실에서 우리 단일민족의 고유성과 우수성을 부정하는것은 민족의 정신무장해제를 설교하는 반역행위이다.
《다민족,다인종사회》론을 제창해나서는 남조선의 친미매국세력은 민족관과 사회력사발전에 대한 초보적인 리해조차 없는것은 물론 한쪼박의 민족의 넋도 없는 얼간망둥이들이다.
South Korean pro-US traitors of the nation, proposing the idea of "multinational, multiracial society" are fools who do not have the faintest idea of the national consciousness (minjokkwan) and social and historical development, and are empty of any national spirit.
단 일성은 세상 어느 민족에게도 없는 우리 민족의 자랑이며 민족의 영원무궁한 발전과 번영을 위한 투쟁에서 필수적인 단합의 정신적원천으로 된다. 민족의 단일성이 그처럼 귀중하기에 그것을 살리기 위해 우리 겨레가 피와 목숨을 바쳐 장구하고 험난한 통일의 길을 걸어온것이며 지금은 애국의 열정을 다해 6.15통일시대를 가꾸어가고있는것이다. 민족의 단일성을 살려나가지 않는다면 미국의 지배주의책동앞에서 민족도 개개인의 운명도 지켜낼수 없으며 독도령유권주장에 비낀 일본반동들의 재침기도도 막아낼수 없다. 《다민족,다인종사회》론의 반민족성은 바로 민족자체를 부정하고 나라와 민족을 제국주의자들에게 내맡긴다는데 있다.
온 겨레가 힘을 합쳐 갈라진 조국을 통일하고 단일민족의 존엄과 위용을 높이 떨치자고 하는 때에 남조선에서 민족부정론,민족말살론이 나왔다는데 보다 엄중한 문제가 있다. 지금은 북과 남이 60여년간의 분렬을 끝장내고 민족의 구조적인 단일성을 확립해가는 자주통일시대이며 이 시대의 대세는 《우리 민족끼리》이다. 《다민족,다인종사회》론은 이 시대의 기본리념을 거세하는 독소이고 반통일론리이다. 남조선에서 겨레의 지향에 배치되는 반민족론이 제창되는것은 명백히 북과 남을 혈통이 서로 다른 지대로 만들고 6.15통일시대를 가로막으며 민족을 영구분렬시키려는 《한나라당》을 비롯한 친미족속들의 범죄적인 기도와 미국의 배후조종의 결과이다.
남 조선에서 제기되는 혼혈인문제에 대해 말한다면 그것은 전적으로 미국의 남조선에 대한 군사적강점의 산물이다. 이러한 비극적현실을 끝장내기 위해 미군철수의 기치를 들지는 못할망정 오히려 그것을 사회화하려 하고있으니 얼마나 쓸개빠진자들인가.
남조선에서 민족적수치와 분노를 금할수 없게 하는 《다민족,다인종사회》론이 공공연히 나돌고 그것을 현실에 적용하려는 움직임이 나오고있는것은 세계를 일극화하려는 미국의 범죄적책동이 얼마나 위험한것인가를 그대로 보여준다.
남 조선의 각계각층 인민들은 주체성과 민족성을 저버린 나머지 우리 민족의 혈통마저 흐리게 하고 민족자체를 말살하려는 사대매국세력의 반민족적책동을 단호히 배격하여야 한다.그리고 우리 민족제일주의와 《우리 민족끼리》의 기치를 더욱 높이 들고 민족을 지키고 통일을 이룩하기 위한 애국투쟁에 적극 떨쳐나서야 할것이다.(끝)
Oooook. Here's The Marmot's:
Recently, in South Korea, a strange game pursuing the weakening of the fundamental character of our race and making society “multiethnic and multiracial” is unfolding.
Those responsible for this commotion are spreading confounding rumors like South Korea is a “multiracial area” mixed with the blood of Americans and several other races, how we must “overcome closed ethnic nationalism,” and we must embrace “the inclusiveness and openness of a multiethnic nation” like the United States.
The words themselves take a knife to the feeling of our people, but even more serious is that this anti-national theory of “multiethnic, multiracial society” has already gone beyond the stage of discussion. Already, they’ve decided that from 2009, content related to “multiracial, multiethnic culture” would be included in elementary, middle and high school textbooks that have until now stressed that Koreans are the “descendents of Dangun,” “of one blood line” and “one race,” and to change the terms “families of international marriage” and “families of foreign laborers” to “multicultural families.”
This is an outrage that makes it impossible to repress the rage of the people/race.
To start from the conclusion, the argument for “multiethnic, multiracial society” cried for by pro-American flunkeyists in South Korea is an unpardonable argument to obliterate the race by denying the homogeneity of the Korean race and to make an immigrant society out of South Korea, to make it a hodgepodge, to Americanize it.
The race (ethnic group) is a social unit of ethnic components formed historically and a community sharing the same fate, and said race exists because it has a character that distinguishes it from other races. Ethnic identity becomes an important weapon in personal and social development. Because of this, all races value their uniqueness and highlight their excellence, and by doing so give strength to awakening and unifying the components of the race. Today, with the wave of “globalization” inundating the world, nations have confronted it and insisted on their ethnic character and built walls to protect it; there is not one nation or race that has denied itself.
In a reality where domination and colonialism threatens the faces of weaker races, to deny the the uniqueness and excellence of our homogenous race is an act of treason preaching the spiritual disarmament of the race.
The pro-American traitors singing the arguments of “multiethnic, multiracial society” have not even a basic understanding of the race’s point of view or the historical development of society and are silly asses without even the slightest ethnic spirit.
Homogeneity, which no other race in the world has, is the pride of our race and becomes the source of the unity needed in the struggle for eternal development and prosperity. Because the homogeneity of the race is so precious, our people have sacrificed blood and lives to walk the long and difficult path of reunification, and now we are cultivating the June 15 era of reunification with all our patriotic fervor. If we cannot save the homogeneity of the race, we cannot protect the fate of either the race of the individual before American schemes for domination, nor can we block the schemes of the Japanese reactionaries to reinvade based on claims of sovereignty over the Dokdo islets. The anti-national character of the arguments for “multiethnic, multiracial society” is that it denies the race itself and entrusts the nation and race to the imperialists.
When people are calling for the entire people to unite their strength and reunify the Fatherland and raise up the majesty of the homogenous race, it’s a serious problem that there arguments to deny the race and obliterate the race have appeared in South Korea. Now is the era of independent unification to end 60 years of division between North and South and to establish the structural homogeneity of the race, and the trend of this age is “to handle things within the race” (uri minjok-ggiri). The argument for a “multiethnic, multiracial society” is a poison that weakens the basic ideology of this era and is anti-reunification logic. Anti-national arguments running counter to the direction of the people in South Korea is clearly the result of criminal schemes by pro-American groups, including the Grand National Party, and behind-the-scenes control by the United States to make the bloodlines of North and South different, block the June 15 era of reunification and make permanent the division of the Korean race.
The issue of mixed-race people being raised in South Korea is completely a product of U.S. military occupation of South Korea. How spiritless these fellows must be that not only do they not raise up the value of having the U.S. military withdraw to bring an end to this tragic reality, but instead are trying to make the problem part of society.
That arguments for a “multiethnic, multiracial society,” which make it impossible to repress ones racial shame and rage, are openly going around South Korea and there are moves to make them a reality shows how dangerous the criminal schemes of the United States to make the world unipolar are.
All sectors of the South Korean people must boldly reject the anti-national schemes of the flunkeyist traitors to toss aside our identity and racial character and even sully the bloodlines of our race and obliterate it. They must also raise up the values of putting the Korean race first and settling everything within our race and actively stand up in the patriotic struggle to protect the Korean race and bring about reunification.
(I respaced some of the paragraphs.)
Thanks, to both Antti and Marmot. You know, instead of banning North Korean publications – even from the Internet – I think the best pro-South propaganda (most of the time) would be simply letting South Koreans read what is published in the North, in the "Labor Newspaper."
Give a whole new meaning to the Auschwitz extermination camp's purposely misleading motto hung over the gates:
"Work makes one free."
At least, that's what the North has been telling its people for the last half-century. I know it's a bit of a harsh comparison and a cheap shot, but I'm gonna take it. Why doesn't the North Korean paper just come out and say it, though? Say it straight, clear, and loud: "Master race." Thaaaaat's it. Gooooood.
Anyway, here's the comment I left at The Marmot. Any of my readers care to offer feedback on my thoughts?
That would indeed be "Untermensch" as well as "raus." Anyway...
As for the translation of "race" as opposed to "people" – it depends on context and I think Robert's right on in translating that as "race." Especially when they switch back and forth between "injong" (which is used to mean "race" in South Korean and is kind of steered away from even amongst people actively talking about race specifically in relation to the "Korean race"), it's more than appropriate to translate it as such.
That's how it's meant, and too often I hear certain Korean folks trying to backpedal out of embarrassment when they darn well know how the conversation is meant. When Koreans are talking about the historical achievements of "the minjok" and the greater sweep of history in a mostly non-relative way, I buy the "people" translation of minjok. However, when talking about the threat from other "races" and peoples, and how that is linked to "pure" blood and cultural unity/superiority, it's "race," man. You can't backpedal from that and just say someone talking like that is speaking in a non-hierarchical, neutral tone.
One other thing – what are your opinions about "우수하다." Often, when I see it used, I really sense that the aspect of "superiority" overwhelms the part that may just mean "excellent" – but even if this might not be the case, can we get around the fact that a negatively comparative connotation is inherent in even a positive assessment of "excellence." In the context of this Rodong Sinmun article, I really feel like they're talking about not the "excellence" of the Korean "race" but rather the "superiority" of the Korean race.
Here's the part in question:
"In a reality where domination and colonialism threatens the faces of weaker races, to deny the the uniqueness and excellence of our homogenous race..."
Doesn't that make more sense in a conversation talking about the "weaker races" that were dominated by the implied "stronger" ones? How is this different from the racialized nationalism espoused by Hitler and the Imperial Japan?
That's straight Nazi, yo.
Scary stuff. And very interesting. More grist for the dissertation!
