'Porando kaiko'

By Adam Borowski

“Porando kaiko” or “Reminiscence of Poland.” A poem written by Naobumi Ochiai. It was based on the story of Fukushima Yasumasa, a Japanese general who traveled on horseback from Berlin to Vladivostok in 1892-1893. A part of the journey took him through the formerly Polish territories. The poem was a warning for Japan, so that it would not repeat Poland's mistakes. Internally divided and no longer powerful, Poland was partitioned by her neighbors in 1795. “Porando Kaiko” was also a soldier's song popular in Japan up until 1945.

Poland has had cordial relations with South Korea, North Korea (Kim Il-sung visited Poland in 1984) and Japan for years.

Polish spies cooperated with Japan in World War II. Frederic Chopin continues to be revered in Japan. Was the famous pianist Polish, French ― maybe both? Well, it depends on who you ask. Polish poet Cyprian Kamil Norwid said it best: “A Varsovian by birth, a Pole in his heart, a citizen of the world by virtue of his talent.'' There are several Polish scientists and artists whose nationality is contested. Hardly surprising, given there was no Polish state for over a century.

South Korean companies have been present in Poland for a long time, with Samsung probably the most recognizable. The popularity of the Korean Cultural Center in Warsaw is a perfect example of the ties between the two countries. Polish and South Korean history has many parallels which makes it much easier to maintain fruitful diplomatic relations. Cultural exchanges between citizens are an integral part of diplomacy ― wouldn't it make sense to popularize bowing as a greeting in Poland? Hopefully, the hand-kissing of women as a greeting in Poland is now a relic of the past.

On the political front, the curse of internal division is adversely affecting both countries. When I read that South Korea is becoming an increasingly divided society, I immediately see similar problems in Poland. The Polish presidential election runoff on July 12 is the most important event since the historic June 1989 elections that ended the communist rule in Poland. In 2020, Poland is as divided as ever, locked in an ideological battle between individualism and collectivism.

Sowing ideological division and hatred can have tragic consequences, such as the public stabbing of the mayor of Gdansk at a charity event in 2019. Weak-minded individuals are easily manipulated by hate speech, as they have no filter. There are people in Poland that accuse anyone who doesn't support the dominant political narrative of being a “German agent.'' This level of social polarization is the result of vitriolic language.

Otto von Bismarck said: “You can't destroy the Polish national consciousness or Poles on the battlefield but if you give them power they will destroy themselves.'' These words are becoming unsettlingly accurate.

I'll finish on a lighter note. My South Korean friend thinks the Polish character is perfect for K-pop. She has never explained what she means. Who knows, maybe in some alternate reality, Poland is awash with Korean Wave fever. I am sure my friend would find it absurdly amusing.

Adam Borowski (adam.borowski1985@gmail.com) is a technical Polish-English translator and an international relations aficionado. He is the author of an alternate reality novel titled: ''Planetary Entrapment Syndrome.''