Post Korean War Developments: Economic, Political and Social

National Korean Studies Seminar

Copyright 2014Mary Connor and Sung Kim

Bringing Korea to the K-12 Classrooms

Bibliography• Connor, Mary. Editor. Asia in Focus: The Koreas• Cumings, Bruce. Koreas Place in the Sun• Eckert, Carter et al. Korea Old and New• Halberstam, David. The Coldest Winter: America

and the Korean War• Kim Kyong-dong and the Korea Herald. Editors.

Social Change in America• Korean Culture and Information Service. Facts

About Korea.• Oberdorfer, Don. The Two Koreas

Topics for Discussion

• How did South Korea become an economic success story and a model for rapid economic development?

• Why was there authoritarianism after the Korean War, and what paved the way for the democratization of South Korea?

• What are the principal changes in society since the 1960s?

Korean War (1950-1953)– 3 million dead (1/10th of the

entire population– 5 million refugees– Millions of separated

families and orphans– Infrastructure destroyed– In South Korea nearly half

of the industrial capacity and a third of the housing was destroyed

– Korea ranked as one of the poorest countries in the world in 1953

Korean war (1950-1953)Destroyed 75% of all productive capacity on the PeninsulaIn South Korea there were approximately 1.3 million deaths

(civilian and military)

Seoul: 1950

Economic Success Story• Sustained growth from

the late 60s• 13th-14th largest economy• 12th largest trading nation• 38th richest country• One of the most wired

nations in the world• 95%-100% of South

Koreans own cell phones• Home of companies such

as Hyundai, LG, Kia, Samsung, and Hanjin

Reasons for Rapid Economic Development and Modernization

(1962–1997)• 1. Work ethic• 2. Well educated population• 3. Close ties between South Korean

government and business• 4. Substantial military and economic aid

from the U.S. during the Cold War• 5. U.S. technology and technical expertise.• 6. U.S. contracts to South Korea during

Vietnam War

View of the Han river, 1950s

Seoul, 1980

Seoul today

Seoul Today

Seoul Today

Cheonggyecheon Stream

Cheonggyecheon Stream at Night

Seoul and the Han River

The South Korean Economy 2011

• South Korea has made one of the most successful recoveries from the global economic crisis that started in 2008.

• Korea’s trade surplus was a record high in 2009 and ranked 9th in exports.

• In 2010, foreign exchange reserves were an all-time high.

Reasons for Current Success • A major fiscal stimulus package and tax cuts• Experience from the Asian economic crisis of

1997• Corporate, public, and labor sector reforms• Continued efforts for Free Trade Agreements to

improve growth potential• An educated work force• A strong work ethic.

Political Development of South Korea

• Contact with the West in the late 19th and early 20th century stimulated interest in democratic institutions.

• From 1910 to 1945 Korea suffered under the authoritarian rule of Japan.

• From 1945-1948 an interim government was established under the direction of the U.S. On July 17, 1948, the first Constitution of the Republic of Korea was adopted.

Political Development

• During the Korean War (1950-1953), South Korea was under the direction of the United Nations.

• After the Korean War, South Korea underwent political upheavals in pursuit of democratic development. As a result, the Korean Constitution was amended nine times, the last time on October 29, 1987.

Authoritarian Politics• Many who praised South Korea’s economic

development after the Korean War rarely spoke of the negative aspects of Korean politics.

• The tendency was to justify the authoritarian politics of development and security because of a hostile North Korea, the Cold War, and Confucian traditions, such as the respect for authority, or the immaturity of Korean politics.

Some Important Factors that Contributed to the Growth of Democracy

• Student militancy• The high level of education that exists in South

Korea• The overwhelming support of blue collar workers

who built a modern Korea and fought hard for democracy

Political DevelopmentSyngman Rhee (1948-1960)

• Prior to being the first president of the Republic of Korea, Syngman Rhee was active in the Independence Movement, imprisoned and tortured for his activities against Japanese occupation, and elected as the president of the Korean government in exile.

• At the age of 73, he was elected in 1948 to serve as president. During the difficult years of the Korean War, he became increasingly autocratic, and thousands were executed without a trial.

• When he tried to rig his election in 1960, massive demonstrations broke out, leading to police violence and the death of a student. As a result, nearly all of the students in high schools and universities hit the streets. The National Assembly pressured Rhee to resign, and he did.

Political DevelopmentPark Chung-Hee (1963-1979)

• Park Chung-Hee was elected in 1963 and was reelected in 1967 and in 1971.

• During Park’s leadership, he took a strong stand against communist infiltrators and developed strong relations with the U.S. The economy grew rapidly, per capita income soared, and exports rose by 30% per year. Meanwhile, he managed to consolidate his power and manipulated the Constitution to remain in office indefinitely. By the end of 1972, he had transformed the presidency into a dictatorship.

• In 1979, he was assassinated by the director of the Korean C.I.A.

Political Development Chun Doo-Hwan (1979-1988)

• In 1979, General Chun Doo-Hwan carried out a coup, became president, declared martial law, and ruthlessly suppressed popular demonstrations.

• In the midst of this political crisis, the bloody Kwangju uprising of students and citizens occurred, resulting in possibly 2,000 casualties, and causing anti-government sentiment that lasted for years.

• Although Chun promised a new era, he continued to rule autocratically. When student demonstrations led to the brutal murder of a Seoul National University student, riots broke out throughout Korea. Chun was subsequently forced to step down in 1988.

Political DevelopmentRoh Tae-Woo (1988-1993)

• Roh Tae-Woo served in the Korean and Vietnam Wars, rose through the ranks, and became a general.

• After serving in Chun’s administration, he ran for the presidency and won because the opposition candidates split the vote. Roh committed himself to democratization, and a new constitution included the direct election of the president by popular vote.

• He was charged and convicted of amassing $650,000 in secret political donations and sentenced to prison. He was later pardoned.

Political Development Kim Young-Sam (1993-1998)

• In 1993, Kim Young-Sam was sworn in as the first civilian president of Korea. Once in power, Kim established civilian control over the military and tried to make the government more responsive to the electorate.

• Kim supported reforms to eliminate political corruption and abuses of power. The economy grew at a rapid rate.

• His popularity declined in his last year of office because of corruption in his administration and the Asian economic crisis of 1997.

Political DevelopmentKim Dae-Jung (1998-2003)

• Kim’s inauguration was significant because it was the first peaceful transfer of power from an entrenched ruling part to an opposition party.

• His administration was challenged by corruption scandals in government and the Asian crisis, but his policies led to recovery and repaying bailout loans ahead of schedule.

Kim Dae-Jung (1998-2003)

• Kim is primarily remembered for his policy of engagement with North Korea (the Sunshine Policy), his meeting with Kim Jong-Il ( the leader of North Korea), and becoming the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize.

• His popularity at home diminished when his sons were charged with accepting bribes and that he secretly paid North Korea $100 million to get P’yongyang to agree to the summit meeting in 2000.

Political DevelopmentRoh Moo-Hyun (2003-2008)

• His administration was hurt by corruption scandals, partisan politics, his decision to send troops to Iraq, and his support for the continuation of the Sunshine Policy.

• In his first year of office, the National Assembly voted to impeach him for violating an election law; however, the Constitutional Court overturned this decision.

• He feared that the U.S. would start a war to eliminate North Korea’s nuclear programs and worked at strengthening the alliance with the U.S.

• After his presidency, there were persistent charges of corruption during his administration. In May of 2009, he committed suicide.

Roh Moo-Hyun (2003-2008)

• He feared that the U.S. would start a war to eliminate North Korea’s nuclear programs and worked at strengthening the alliance with the U.S.

• After his presidency, there were persistent charges of corruption during his administration. In May of 2009, he committed suicide.

Political DevelopmentLee Myung-Bak (2008-2013)

• Lee Myung-Bak, the former mayor of Seoul and a former top Hyundai executive, won a landslide victory, became president in 2008, and turned South Korea away from a decade of liberal governance.

• One of the primary developments during his presidency has been increased tension on the peninsula as Lee has carried out a hard line policy with North Korea.

Ongoing Challenges

• Persistent political corruption has contributed to a widespread sense of public cynicism.

• Although South Korea is now democratic, the political system includes intense partisan rivalry as well as paralysis in the decision-making process.

Democracy today

The Positive Achievements• What has changed represents a greater diversity of

voice through a greater range of constituencies than in the past. Different interest groups, generations, and genders are now shaping the political climate

• The current constitution represents a major advancement in the direction of democratization. It includes the curtailment of presidential powers, the strengthening of the power of the legislature, and additional devices for the protection of human rights

• In particular, the creation of a new, independent Constitutional Court plays a vital role in making Korea a more democratic and free society

The Attainment of Democracy

• The development of civil society and civilian control over military has been achieved successfully in spite of the embedded cultural values that supported authoritarian rule for decades.

• All in all, throughout the six decades since the establishment of the country, it is possible to say that South Korea has taken major strides in terms of modernization, industrialization and, most importantly, democratization.

Social Change in Korea

• Since the end of the Korean War, rapid economic growth, industrialization, and urbanization caused a radical change in the class structure.

• The social classes of traditional Korea have essentially disappeared, and more opportunities exist for social mobility.

Migration to the Cities

• Between 1945 and 1960, the population of the cities grew by 30%. Most of this growth was the result of the migration of rural people to urban areas for factory work.

• A significant number of the factory owners were former landlords who made the transition from owning land in the countryside to becoming owners of businesses or professionals.

• Now more than 80 percent live in cities.

The Middle Class

• One of the most significant changes is the formation of a new middle class consisting of civil servants, salaried white-collar workers, and professionals with specialized training, such as architects, engineers, journalists, and university professors. Teaching positions are now considered middle class

The Middle Class

• Between 1960 and 1980, the new middle class grew from 6.6 % to 17.7% and the old middle class (shopkeepers, small business owners, self-employed professionals, and craftsmen) grew from 13% to 20.8% of the population.

• A new upper middle class (economic and social elites) increased from 0.9% to 1.8%

Distinctions between Middleand Upper Class

• Careers in government and academia have maintained the same level of prestige as he past.

• Whether a white-collar worker is middle or upper middle class depends on such variables as the size and prestige of the company.

• For government employees and corporate-salary men, status is often based on age and advancement up the career ladder.

Distinctions between Middleand Upper Class

• Those who have positions of power in the government, military, and large business conglomerates have more status than the average government worker, business owner, or salaried person.

• Graduates of the most prestigious universities have more status than graduates of low-prestige colleges

Industrial Workers and Farmers• Between 1960 and 1980 the proportion of

industrial workers expanded from 8.9% to 22.6 percent of the labor force.

• During the same time period landowning farmers, the rural lower class, and agricultural laborers declined in numbers; they were 64% of the population in 1960; 31.3 percent in 1980, and approximately 25% in the 1990s.

• The rural population in 1960 was 14 million. Now it is only 3.4 million.

International Migration• Labor shortages have led to the migration of

workers from other parts of the world• Men in rural areas have difficulty in finding

spouses and are consequently marrying women from Vietnam, China, and the Philippines.

• With the increase in multicultural families, cultural and racial diversity are becoming a reality in rural Korea.

• In 2006, 11.9% of the marriages were international. In some rural areas racial diversity is 41%.

Additional Changes in Society

• Koreans are marrying later (between 28 and 31) and are having fewer children than in the past. Polls indicate that 25.7% of the men and 48.6% of women do not think marriage is necessary.

• The size of families has declined from 6.8 in 1960 to 3.3 in 1995. By 2006, South Korea’s birthrate was 1.08%, one of the lowest in the world.

Additional Changes in Society• In the past, three generations lived together.

Now there are more single family households, single parent households, and elderly couples living alone.

• Few divorced until fairly recently. Now the divorce rate in South Korea is among the highest in the world.

• Koreans are living longer (76.5 for men and 83.3 for women). Approximately 10% of the population is over 65.

Topics for Discussion

• How did South Korea become an economic success story and model for rapid economic development?

• Why was there authoritarianism after the Korean War and what paved the way for the democratization of South Korea?

• What are the principal changes in society since the 1960s? Have there been similar changes in society in the United States?

Bibliography• Connor, Mary. Editor. Asia in Focus: The Koreas• Cumings, Bruce. Koreas Place in the Sun• Eckert, Carter et al. Korea Old and New• Halberstam, David. The Coldest Winter: America

and the Korean War• Kim Kyong-dong and the Korea Herald. Editors.

Social Change in America• Korean Culture and Information Service. Facts

About Korea.• Oberdorfer, Don. The Two Koreas