Historical awareness of the post-war generation in Korea and national and social responsibility

Abstract

Abstract A survey on the postwar generation of Korea clearly reveals two facts. One is that the Korean War is becoming a “forgotten war” among Koreans, and the other is that the perception gaps regarding the issues of the war, homeland, national security, and unification among the generations are increasing. Both changes have been brought about by the lapse of a period of 60 years. It is natural that memories of the war fade away with the passage of two biological generations. Also, the generational gaps may be seen as inevitable in light of the condensed transformation of Korean society since 1945. Yet, the generations should be integrated at an optimal level if the wounds of the war are to be healed and a unified nation state is to be built and maintained. For such national imperatives, there should be a new understanding of the Korean War, especially on its characteristics and consequences, and a new cognitive paradigm shared by all generations in order to enhance awareness of war, national security, and unification. In order to fulfill these two overarching tasks, multifaceted efforts are needed to promote open communication among the generations and provide balanced knowledge and in-depth history education.