Domestic Politics of U.S.-South Korea Relations: With Emphasis on "Anti-Americanism" in South Korea

This is a revised version of a paper presented at a talk examining the phenomenon of anti-Americanism in the Republic of Korea (South Korea). Contrary to widespread perception, the author argues that anti-Americanism in South Korea has a deep-rooted history, the expression of which was suppressed during decades of authoritarian rule. Anti-Americanism in South Korea involves a sophisticated ideology, constituting a kind of belief system. Hakjoon Kim traces the history of such anti-Americanism from 1945 until the present.