Anyone who grew up watching Disney’s classic animated film Snow White might find its recent live-action remake jarring. The fair-skinned Snow White of the original has been replaced by Rachel Zegler, a Latina actress with a darker complexion. The princess is no longer a passive damsel awaiting rescue by a prince but an assertive heroine who fights the Evil Queen and forges her own destiny. These changes have sparked a heated debate in the US. Some praise the remake for promoting racial diversity and challenging gender stereotypes, while others argue it strays too far from the original, embracing political correctness to an extreme.

This controversy highlights the growing cultural polarization in the US, exacerbated by President Trump’s opposition to progressive ideals. Preaching traditional family values, Trump has waged a culture war against so-called "wokeness," which promotes diversity, equity and inclusion. Since taking office, he has issued a series of executive orders aimed at reversing progressive policies of the past. For instance, he has threatened to defund universities that allow transgender women to compete in women's sports. Trump has also pushed to revoke birthright citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants, despite constitutional protections.

To some extent, Trump’s actions resonate with those who feel political correctness in the US has gone too far. In Snow White, for example, some critics have labeled the prince’s kiss on the sleeping princess as sexual harassment due to a lack of consent — an argument many find excessive. Similarly, transgender athletes competing in women’s sports often retain biological advantages, raising concerns about fairness. Additionally, some women engage in "birth tourism," entering the US late in pregnancy to secure citizenship for their children, who sometimes later serve as "anchor babies" for family members seeking green cards.

Despite these issues, Trump’s policies challenge the fundamental principles of the US, a nation built by immigrants. The first English settlers were, in fact, undocumented immigrants. Many believe the country’s racial and cultural diversity has been key to its strength and prosperity. They warn Trump’s nativist and ethnocentric policies can stifle its dynamism. On a practical level, mass deportations of undocumented immigrants could also harm industries like agriculture and construction, which rely on their cheap labor.

The culture war is not unique to the US. As societies advance, they inevitably become more multicultural, leading to internal tensions and conflicts. South Korea, while still largely homogeneous compared to the US or Europe, is experiencing similar challenges. With an influx of foreign workers and brides, Korean society is becoming increasingly diverse and multicultural. As birth rates plummet and the population shrinks, Korea faces an urgent need to accept more immigrants.

The number of foreigners in Korea is steadily rising. Last year, they made up a record 4.9 percent of the total population, up from 3.8 percent in 2021. That figure is expected to surpass 5 percent this year, the threshold for multicultural status set by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Analysts predict it will reach 7 percent by the early 2040s. Immigration could help offset Korea’s declining population, which has fallen by 500,000, or about 1 percent, over the past five years.

Yeongam County in North Gyeongsang Province exemplifies the crisis. Each year, only about 25 babies are born in that county, while around 300 people die. Over the past two decades, the county’s population has plummeted by 25 percent to just 15,000 -- the lowest among all Korean counties. In a desperate effort to reverse this trend, local officials recently announced plans to invite about 40 Myanmar refugees currently living in Thai border camps under UN protection. Authorities believe the refugees’ Confucian and Buddhist traditions will help them integrate into Korean society.

As Korea grows more multicultural, social tensions are emerging. In the southern city of Daegu, a plan to build an Islamic mosque has faced fierce local opposition, with residents staging a pork barbecue protest and prominently displaying a pig’s head — an overt insult to the Islamic religion. Foreign brides often struggle with language and cultural barriers, and marriages have high rates of domestic violence and divorce. Meanwhile, foreign workers frequently report discrimination at workplaces and poor working conditions.

But Korea’s cultural divisions extend beyond race and immigration. Sharp divides based on gender, generation, region and religion have fueled internal conflict. Young women, particularly in their 20s and 30s, overwhelmingly support progressive ideals and the opposition Democratic Party, while young men lean conservative and favor the ruling People Power Party. The longstanding regional rivalry between the liberal southwestern Jeolla provinces and the conservative southeastern Gyeongsang provinces remains strong, often leading to mutual animosity. Religious divides also contribute to tensions, with Christians generally holding more conservative views than non-Christians.

In many ways, Korea is beginning to resemble the US, where political and ideological confrontations deepen cultural rifts. Elections are increasingly decided along gender, generational and ideological lines. Recent protests over President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment illustrate this stark divide. Opponents of impeachment include Christians, young men and southeastern residents, while supporters include a lot of young women and people from the southwest.

Already divided from North Korea, South Korea cannot afford further internal fractures. As the country navigates its evolving identity, finding common ground will be essential to maintaining national unity.

Lee Byung-jong

Lee Byung-jong is a former Seoul correspondent for Newsweek, The Associated Press and Bloomberg News. He is a professor at the School of Global Service at Sookmyung Women’s University in Seoul. The views expressed here are the writer’s own. — Ed.


koreadherald@heradcorp.com