What is it about?
Hanja (Chinese characters) has historically been used in Korean publications. We review Korea's history of written language and colonialism and analyze newspaper headlines to shed light on how language functions as a symbol of national identity.
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Why is it important?
Our findings of Korean newspaper headlines show that the usage of Hanja was influenced by assimilation policies under Japanese rule and in the years following liberation. The fluctuating usage of Hanja versus Hangul represents the attempted oppression of Korea's national identity by the Japanese government, and the subsequent resiliency of the Korean people in restoring their national identity through language.
Perspectives
We hope this article helps people recognize the power of words and highlights the courage and resilience of the Korean people in restoring our national identity.
Jaeeun Kwak
University of Tennessee Knoxville
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Hanja usage in Korean newspaper headlines, Journal of Asian Pacific Communication, October 2025, John Benjamins,
DOI: 10.1075/japc.00116.kwa.
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