Pledge of Allegiance to the National Flag

In 1972, the text of the pledge underwent a dramatic transformation. Concrete goals of unification and prosperity were replaced by the abstract concept of "eternal glory," and the rational values of "justice and truth" were replaced by the holistic devotion of "devoting one's body and mind."
This was no coincidence. This revision took place in the very same year the Yushin Constitution was proclaimed. Emphasizing unconditional loyalty to the collective over individual judgment, and abstract nationalism over a concrete vision, this pledge reflected the ruling ideology of the authoritarian era. Without even realizing it, we were performing a daily ritual of internalizing conformity to the regime.
What is even more surprising is the fact that this pledge remained unchanged for 35 years. Even after the democratization in 1987, through the civilian governments and the Roh Moo-hyun administration, we were still pledging allegiance to the flag using the language of the authoritarian era.
"I firmly pledge my loyalty to the eternal glory of the free and just Republic of Korea before the proud Taegeukgi."
On July 27, 2007, a new pledge was finally announced. The blood-based and ethnic concepts of "homeland and nation" were replaced by the constitutional values of a "free and just Republic of Korea." The totalitarian expression "devoting one's body and mind" was deleted.
This was a fundamental shift in perception regarding where the legitimacy of a state originates. It was a declaration that citizens are no longer beings who must sacrifice themselves for the state, but rather that the state bears the responsibility to guarantee the freedom and justice of its citizens.
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