The Anti-Chosun Movement: Journalism, Activism, Politics, and Historical Memory in Post-Authoritarian South Korea, 1998–2002

Abstract

This article reconstructs the origins and development of the so-called Anti-Chosun Movement, a (progressive) movement to curb the power and shed light on the history of (conservative) mass media, from its origins in the mid-1990s to its politicization in the 2002 presidential elections. The development of Anti-Chosun reveals the intertwinement of journalism, activism, and politics in post-authoritarian South Korea. Further, Anti Chosun constitutes the first movement originating in cyberspace, demonstrating the centrality of online journalism. Finally, Anti-Chosun must be evaluated as an omen of Korea’s “history wars,” its discourse taking place firmly within a framework of historical fact-finding and transitional justice.