한국인의 國旗觀과 ‘국기에 대한 경례’－국가 표상으로서의 國旗를 대하는 태도와 자세의 변화 과정－

Abstract

National Flags are the Nations themselves which are materialized by some icon. National symbol, including the flags transfer the abstract nation to a reality, and people can express their concept about the nation concretely by those symbols. In the Democratic Republic, the sovereign is the people. Therefore, in the Democratic Republics, it is logical contradiction that people salute to their National Flags. It is the same with that an owner salute to a sign of their self-possessions. However, too many Koreans can’t recognize this contradiction at all. Rather, people who do not salute the National flag are pointed regarded as dangerous or impure men who possess the anti-national ideology. The purpose of this study is to explain the historical backgrounds of this contradictory attitude to the National flag of Koreans. In the course of incorporating into the imperialistic world system, Korea have to make a their own symbols of nation like other countries. The Korean National flag, Taegukgi was the typical one among those symbols. At first, this symbol was used as external National representation, but eventually activated as a symbol which make nation people who feel “we are the one under our flag.” the National Flags hoisted in front of government offices, schools, or event halls, make people feel the sense of belonging to the Nation repeatedly. Yet the status of National Flag of the Great Han Empire was lower than the Emperor and higher than people. People must be loyal to the Emperor, but to the National Flag, they only need to love it. In the period of the Great Han Empire, people hoisted the National Flag in front of their house and store, or waved it, but did not salute it. But at the last period of the Great Han Empire, Korean people have begun to salute their National Flag. They have projected their patriotism and pathos to the Flag, and thus the Flag has been the object of pledge. On this environment, Korean could have accepted the American style pledge allegiance to the flag which has been built in the process of making foreigners to their own nations without special resist. Koreans had got two National Flags after Japan brought the Great Han Empire to the ground. The one is Taegukki, the past National Flag of the Great Han Empire which was already fallen, the other is Hinomaru, the Japanese National Flag. Under the Japanese colonial government, Japan people have hold several Flag Festival. Many Koreans have seen this festival and envied their freedom and pride. In 1919, the March First Movement played in the form of Flag Festival. Since then, Koreans lived in abroad had to see the Taegukki with tears in their eyes, lived in Korea had to revere the Hinomaru with extreme loyalty. Taegukki and Hinomaru was a sacred symbol which require some specific action and attitude. After liberation, during the formation of anti-communist Nation, Taegukki also have acquired the status of the symbol of anti-communism. Some Christians have opposed the salute to the National Flag, but the reverent and enthusiastic attitude of Koreans to the National Flag which was formd in colonial period, have defeated this opposition without special trouble. Merely the result of this opposing movement, Seungman-Rhee, the first president of the Republic of Korea have directed to change the action of salute to the National Flag with USA style, to put the right hand on the left chest. Thus now, only the Americans and Koreans salute to their National Flag in the world.