Daniel Manning 
Kawazuzakura in full boom in the cherry blossom garden on the rooftop of the Japan Cherry Blossom Association office on February 22, 2023. (© Sankei by Shunsuke Sakamaki).
In South Korea, cherry blossoms have become more than just a symbol of spring — they have evolved into a battleground for national identity. In 2024, an ecologist named Shin Joon Hwan sparked debate by advocating for the replacement of the Japanese Yoshino cherry trees with the king cherry, a variety found on Jeju Island. He claims the variety is native to South Korea. His advocacy is part of a growing movement to claim ownership of the cherry blossom, a flower traditionally associated with Japan.
Shin's project seeks to replace the Yoshino cherry with the king cherry by 2050 in Gyeongju, an ancient capital of Korea. This movement follows decades of claims that cherry blossoms originated in Korea and were a flower unjustly co-opted by Japan.
Target of Antipathy
Widely cultivated in Japan, the Yoshino cherry was introduced to South Korea during Japan's colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula from 1910 to 1945.
Following the end of Japanese rule and the Korean War, South Koreans, in a surge of nationalist sentiment, cut down cherry trees across the country. The cherry blossom viewing, once a symbol of Japan, became a target of antipathy associated with colonial culture.
Prior to Shin's campaign, many in modern South Korea believed Somei Yoshino trees were native to the Korean Peninsula. In 2018, however, South Korea's National Arboretum made an intriguing announcement about the origin of the country's cherry blossoms. Based on a genetic analysis of Somei Yoshino cherry trees, the arboretum determined they were not Korean in origin. It subsequently removed the species from the list of native plants in the National Standard Plant List.
Citizen and environmental groups from the Jeju region criticized the National Arboretum for declaring that cherry trees growing naturally on Jeju Island were the same as Japan's Somei Yoshino cherry trees. They also demanded an immediate reexamination.
Calls for Reevaluation
Several Jeju Island-related organizations issued a press release.
These groups claimed that the National Arboretum conducted the research unilaterally, without sufficient input from experts. They also suggested that analyzing only five out of 235 naturally growing Somei Yoshino cherry trees in Hallasan on Jeju Island was insufficient.
Moreover, they called for a comprehensive study of the species' origin and genetic diversity to be resumed immediately.
Furthermore, these groups raised concerns about the decision to refer to the trees as Somei Yoshino, their Japanese name. They felt that this choice could overlook Jeju as the place of origin for the Somei Yoshino and undermine South Korea's biological sovereignty over the tree.
The same groups suggested that if any errors were found, the National Arboretum should consider restoring the Somei Yoshino cherry tree to the list of native plants and issue a public statement addressing the matter.
Cultural Absence
Although cherry trees have existed on the Korean Peninsula for centuries, they have been largely ignored in Korea's cultural and literary heritage. South Korean author Che Sukyoung addressed this in his 2019 book The Pathology of South Korea's Anti-Japanese Fake News (Kankoku Hannnichi Feiku no Byorigaku, published by Shogakukan).
"There might be cherry blossom trees in South Korea that are several hundred years old," he writes. "However, the culture of appreciating, enjoying, or incorporating cherry blossoms into daily life did not historically exist here."
In fact, Che points out that there are no references to cherry blossoms in classical Korean literature or poetry. However, in Japan, the blossoms were central to national identity, celebrated in both art and literature.
Cherry blossoms have been deeply woven into Japanese culture for centuries. Their fleeting beauty was celebrated in the Manyoshu, an eighth-century anthology of poems. Renowned poet Matsuo Basho (1644-1494) used them in haiku to symbolize life's impermanence. They also played a dramatic role in the 18th-century kabuki play Yoshitsune and the Thousand Cherry Trees (Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura) as a backdrop for historical and emotional storytelling.
A Change in Stance?
Che's argument is reinforced by a 1985 article from the Chosun Ilbo newspaper, which reflected on the absence of cultural significance of cherry blossoms in South Korea. The article stated:
"Cherry blossom trees several hundred years old have been discovered on Jeju Island and other islands in the South Seas. While the theory that their origin is Korean is considered highly probable (at the time), it raises an intriguing question — if cherry blossoms have been present since ancient times and are impossible to overlook, why do they not appear in any poems or stories left by our ancestors? The scarcity of cherry blossoms as a motif in Korean literature and folklore implies that, despite their existence, they were widely neglected."
How long will South Korea’s aversion to Somei Yoshino cherry trees last? Che Sukyoung believes that, in the end, economic benefits will take priority over anti-Japanese sentiment.
Speaking exclusively to JAPAN Forward, he highlighted the rapid expansion of Shine Muscat (a type of seedless Japanese grape) cultivation in South Korea. "The cultivation area has skyrocketed from 278 hectares in 2016 to 6,000 hectares in 2024," he noted, attributing this surge to its high profitability.
Che highlighted the global appeal of Japanese cherry blossoms, which attract tourists to Japan every hanami season. "If their popularity keeps growing and they become a key tourism attraction, South Korea may once again change its stance," he noted.
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Author: Daniel Manning
