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South Korea's 'Enemy Challenge': A decade later, a look back at a divisive political tactic

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

Analysis Sources not specified Context piece
  • A trend called the 'Enemy Challenge' is circulating on social media, where individuals confront political candidates with the question, "Who is the enemy of South Korea?"
  • The challenge primarily targets progressive candidates, framing their hesitation or nuanced answers as 'pro-North Korea' or 'communist sympathizers.'
  • Critics argue this tactic resembles historical ideological purges and reflects a regression in political discourse, with concerns about its influence on younger generations.
  • The term 'enemy' has historically shifted in South Korean defense white papers, moving from explicitly naming North Korea to broader definitions and back again under different administrations.

A provocative social media trend, dubbed the 'Enemy Challenge,' has emerged during South Korea's local election campaigns, prompting candidates to publicly identify the nation's "enemy." The challenge involves individuals approaching candidates on the street and demanding an immediate answer to this question, often capturing the interactions for platforms like Instagram and YouTube Shorts.

Who do you think is the enemy of South Korea?

— Interviewer in 'Enemy Challenge'The standard question posed to political candidates during the social media trend.

The trend appears to disproportionately target candidates from progressive parties, including the Democratic Party and the Rebuilding Korea Party. Videos often show these candidates appearing flustered, evading the question, or offering less direct answers, which are then framed by proponents of the challenge as evidence of being "pro-North Korea" or sympathetic to communism. Conversely, when candidates from the conservative People Power Party answer "North Korea" directly, they are portrayed as resolute.

Critics liken the 'Enemy Challenge' to historical methods of ideological vetting, such as the "stepping on the cross" practice used to test religious or political loyalty. The movement is reportedly spearheaded by conservative youth groups, including 'Free University,' which supported former President Yoon Suk-yeol. The phrase "The enemy is North Korea" was notably used by Yoon during his presidential campaign.

The Democratic Party politicians say North Korea is not the enemy.

— Han Dong-hoonA politician from the People Power Party, sharing a compilation video of the 'Enemy Challenge' on social media.

The definition of South Korea's "enemy" has evolved over time. The term was explicitly used in the Defense White Paper starting in 1995, following North Korea's "sea of fire" threat. However, after the 2000 inter-Korean summit, the term was softened or removed in subsequent white papers under liberal administrations, only to be reinstated with stronger phrasing like "the North Korean regime and military are our enemies" under conservative governments. The Yoon administration reverted to this stronger stance. The column argues that the current iteration of the "enemy" rhetoric, especially when used in street challenges, is a regressive and inappropriate tactic for a modern civil society, reminiscent of historical coercion.

The platform creates it, the algorithm delivers it, and the political party adopts it. This is not an anomaly. It is a design.

— Jeong Min-cheolA generational communicator warning about the influence of social media algorithms on youth radicalization.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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