Abstract

The present study tested a moderated mediation model that stipulates an interaction of ethnic identity and national identity in predicting South Koreans’ feelings of collective guilt about the current situations involving the two Koreas, which in turn predicting their intentions to engage in reconciliaroty behaviors. A total of 1,300 South Korean adults participated in a survey via a stratified sampling method. Results indicated, as expected, that the stronger the ethnic identity, the more likely the participants reported collective guilt, and this relationship was stronger for individuals who are low in national identity compared to those who have strong national identity. We also found support for the predicted moderated mediation effect in predicting the participants’ intention to learn about the positions and perspectives of the outgroup (i.e., North Korea) on the current North-South situations and their willingness to sacrifice the current economic advantages of South Korea as a means to resolve the nuclear crisis on the peninsula. Implications of these findings for research on issues related to the two Koreas and directions for future research are discussed.