Description
This paper investigates the emotional hierarchies embedded in South Korea’s response to the 2023 Vietnam War-era massacre litigation, where the Seoul Central District Court mandated reparations for Vietnamese civilians harmed by South Korean soldiers. Examining the political discourse surrounding this case, I explore how South Korea’s narrative prioritises reverence for Korean veterans over acknowledgement of Vietnamese suffering, creating an emotional hierarchy that not only safeguards national honour but also shapes whose memories are legitimised within transnational memory. This hierarchy reveals a strategic approach to managing memory across borders, positioning Korean veterans as symbols of sacrifice while resisting acknowledgment of South Korea as a potential perpetrator, thereby preserving a selective memory that reinforces its identity and global standing. This analysis offers insights into how emotional hierarchies in international relations are actively constructed within transnational memory, shaping identity, responsibility, and historical narrative across borders and revealing how emotions are embedded and contested within power structures.
