Korean beliefs

HANGUK: A Semi-Sacred Element in Korean Culture! Respecting the Spirit of Koreans!

by Boye De Mente on Sep 18, 2009

Like so many of our prejudiced views of the people of the world one of the post-WWII images of Korea was originally associated with a single word. In this case, “Gook,” a corruption of the Korean word Hanguk (Hahn-guuk), which means “Korean Nation.”   Somehow, during the the Korean War [1950-1953] American GI’s shortened Hanguk into “Gook,” first as an easy-to-remember and pronounce epithet for Koreans, and finally as a derogatory term that came to be used to express a growing dislike and contempt for Koreans.   The derogatory use of the term “Gook” quickly made its way to the American occupation forces still in Japan, where it was indiscriminately applied to the Japanese and Chinese as well—and for the next two or three decades helped to create a false and misleading image of Koreans, Japanese and Chinese among many Americans…and image that contributed to them being underestimated by American business as well as government...Read More >>