A Whole New Korea

The 1988 Summer Olympics were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics held in Tokyo, Japan. 160 nations has participated with 8391 athletes: 6197 men and 2194 women in this 1988 Summer Olympics. North Korea, still at war with South Korea at this time, and its allies, Albania, Cuba, Madagascar and Seychelles refused to participate in the game. On the other hand, the Soviet Union and East Germany, which has joined the event and won the most number of medals in Seoul Olympics, have collapsed before next Olympic.

“The Seoul emblem features a samtaeguk pattern. A samtaeguk is a traditional Korean pattern and visual image which represents Korea. This pattern is widely used as decoration on fans, gates of Korean-style homes, artifacts, and folk crafts.”

Significance of this event was that hosting the 1988 Olympics in South Korea gives it an opportunity to bring international attention. Ever since 1953, Korea was known for victim of Japanese colonization and Korean War. Therefore, an image of South Korea was nothing more than a “developing country.” After President Park Jung-Hee’s assassination in 1979, Chun Doo-hwan, his successor, submitted Korea’s bid in order to legitimize his regime under pressure for democratization, provide protection from increasing threats from North Korea, and showcase the Korean economic miracle to the world community.

As 1988 Seoul Olympics have successfully ended, a biased opinion on South Korea has dramatically changed. Eastern European countries considered South Korea as “a country deep in poverty, full of radical idea, and brainwashed by American Imperialism.” Because the sole news source they had about South Korea was only from North Korea, their communist ally, they were propagandized with wrong South Korea. In University of Warsaw, a capitol of Poland, Josun Language Literature major, which taught PyongYang Language, has switched to Korean Language Literature. Even to Southern European countries and US, South Korea was no longer a country that was devastated by postwar syndrome and poverty since Korean War. Eventually many South Korean companies such as Samsung, LG, and Hyundai Motors gained more fame in the market as their image has changed following their nation’s image.