Historical Overview of English Learning in South Korea: The U.S. Military Government, Korean War, and Post-War Reconstruction Period

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the role of English language among Korean people after the liberation from Japan in 1945 and the Korean War, to the post-war reconstruction period until the 1980s. In the process of post-war industrialization from the 1950s to the 1980s, English became the most crucial school subject that directly affected university entrance exams across South Korea. Moreover, it was the key to initial job screening and promotion in work environments. This chapter will argue that this continual trend surrounding English education reflects the concept of hakbul, or “academic credentialism,” having its origin in the Confucian tradition practiced during the Joseon Dynasty. With the rapid industrialization since the 1960s, Koreans have gradually started to believe that education, particularly academic degrees at prestigious universities, can break the current poverty-stricken status quo and gain access to savvy, affluent, and urbane lifestyles. In this general atmosphere, the motivation to learn English among Korean students acquired an increasingly instrumental and competitive nature. In this backdrop, this chapter surveys the overall English-related social behavior and academic curriculum, and how these phenomena could be consistently explained by the concept of hakbul orientation and competitive motivation. © 2021, Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.