[K-Women Talk] How Much Should We Accept a "Don't Do This" Society?

Blocking All Risks to Avoid State Responsibility
Redefining the Balance Between Prohibition and Personal Freedom

In Korean society, it is natural to hold the government accountable whenever accidents, both large and small, occur. Even minor inconveniences, the consequences of personal choices, and sometimes even private matters often lead to criticism, asking, "Why didn't the state manage this?" When outgoing ambassadors to Korea are asked about inconveniences they experienced during their stay, they often mention that there are too many warnings telling people "Do not do this."

For example, ropes are stretched out at the beach, and if you swim beyond them, a whistle is immediately blown. How far one swims should depend on individual ability and judgment, but stories are shared about excessive government interference. This attitude of overprotecting the safety of each citizen is a product of the state-led development model formed during Korea's modernization process. After passing through the dark tunnel of industrialization and dictatorship, an obsession took root that the government must act as a guardian.

The roots of this can also be found in the Confucian tradition, which viewed the ideal state as one that protects and educates its people. The belief that a nation must feed its people and care for them like children in order to possess moral authority still lingers in our collective thinking. A culture that prioritized communal harmony over individual interests, especially in the public sphere, has led to a mindset that values order over personal freedom. While this sense of community has many positive aspects, it is also true that it has led to a tendency to accept regulation and interference as natural, rather than viewing them as uncomfortable controls.

This culture and historical experience manifest in many ways in daily life. On KTX trains, there are repeated announcements instructing passengers to remain quiet and not to talk on the phone. In the subway, dozens of announcements prohibit unnecessary physical contact and illegal filming, among other things. In saunas, signs prohibit the use of oils and bringing in mobile phones.

Even matters of common sense are covered with instructions telling people "Do not do this." Park benches display signs saying "Do not eat food," and tourist sites are filled with warnings such as "Do not scribble" and "Do not damage facilities." What is surprising is that most citizens accept these prohibitions as natural, or as something they must tolerate, without questioning them.

The background to such detailed regulation is Korean society’s high tendency to avoid risk. When an incident occurs, government responsibility is immediately raised, and public institutions, concerned about this, respond by trying to preemptively block any potential risks. Regulations are strengthened, and once established, they rarely disappear. However, excessive regulations not only overprotect citizens but also make them passive, hindering the development of a mature civic consciousness.

What we need now is to reset the "proper boundary of state intervention." The government should focus on structural risk management to protect life and safety, and reduce controls that excessively regulate personal choices or lifestyles, or repeatedly emphasize "Do not do this" for things that are obviously unacceptable. At the same time, citizens should recognize their own freedoms and responsibilities rather than demanding unlimited accountability from the state, and foster a culture of questioning unnecessary regulations.

Korean society is a unique community where the state and its citizens have high expectations of each other. It is true that these expectations have enabled the nation’s development today. However, when freedom and diversity are excessively suppressed in the name of protection, we must ask again: To what extent should the government intervene in our lives? And how uncritically are we accepting this? Only when we do not lose sight of these questions can Korean society become a more mature and advanced society.

Park Eunha, Former Ambassador to the United Kingdom