The Park Chung Hee Era bookcover

The Park Chung Hee Era

The Transformation of South Korea

Ezra F. Vogel 

(Editor)

Byung-Kook Kim 

(Editor)

Byung-Joon Jun 

(Contribution by)

et al.

Joo Hong Kim 

(Contribution by)

Yong-Jick Kim 

(Contribution by)

Gregory W. Noble 

(Contribution by)

Jung-Hoon Lee 

(Contribution by)

Min Yong Lee 

(Contribution by)

Taehyun Kim 

(Contribution by)

Nae-Young Lee 

(Contribution by)

Chung-In Moon 

(Contribution by)

Young Jo Lee 

(Contribution by)

Hyung-A Kim 

(Contribution by)

Seok-Jin Lew 

(Contribution by)

Sang-Young Rhyu 

(Contribution by)

Gil-Sung Park 

(Contribution by)

Chang Jae Baik 

(Contribution by)

Myung-Lim Park 

(Contribution by)

Eun Mee Kim 

(Contribution by)

Jorge I Domínguez 

(Contribution by)

Yong-Sup Han 

(Contribution by)

Sung Gul Hong 

(Contribution by)

Paul D Hutchcroft 

(Contribution by)

Hyug Baeg Im 

(Contribution by)

4.9/5.0
21,000+ Reviews
Bookshop.org has the highest-rated customer service of any bookstore in the world

Description

In 1961 South Korea was mired in poverty. By 1979 it had a powerful industrial economy and a vibrant civil society in the making, which would lead to a democratic breakthrough eight years later. The transformation took place during the years of Park Chung Hee's presidency. Park seized power in a coup in 1961 and ruled as a virtual dictator until his assassination in October 1979. He is credited with modernizing South Korea, but at a huge political and social cost.

South Korea's political landscape under Park defies easy categorization. The state was predatory yet technocratic, reform-minded yet quick to crack down on dissidents in the name of political order. The nation was balanced uneasily between opposition forces calling for democratic reforms and the Park government's obsession with economic growth. The chaebol (a powerful conglomerate of multinationals based in South Korea) received massive government support to pioneer new growth industries, even as a nationwide campaign of economic shock therapy-interest hikes, devaluation, and wage cuts-met strong public resistance and caused considerable hardship.

This landmark volume examines South Korea's era of development as a study in the complex politics of modernization. Drawing on an extraordinary range of sources in both English and Korean, these essays recover and contextualize many of the ambiguities in South Korea's trajectory from poverty to a sustainable high rate of economic growth.

Product Details

PublisherHarvard University Press
Publish DateMarch 11, 2013
Pages744
LanguageEnglish
TypeBook iconPaperback / softback
EAN/UPC9780674072312
Dimensions9.2 X 6.3 X 1.7 inches | 1.9 pounds

About the Author

Byung-Kook Kim is Professor of Political Science and International Relations at Korea University.
Ezra F. Vogel (1930-2020) is the author of Deng Xiaoping and the Transformation of China, a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award and winner of the Lionel Gelber Prize, and of the international bestseller Japan as Number One. He was Henry Ford II Professor of the Social Sciences Emeritus at Harvard University.
Jorge I. Domínguez is Antonio Medero Professor of Mexican and Latin American Politics and Economics at Harvard University.

Reviews

Park emerges in these essays as a remarkably skillful politician, and the political dimensions of almost all economic policies were foremost in his calculations...This excellent collection of essays convincingly argues that any examination of South Korea as a model of how a poor country can climb out of poverty needs to factor in the personality of Park Chung Hee and the domestic and international politics of the time.--Michael J. Seth "The Historian" (4/1/2012 12:00:00 AM)
Somehow [this] escaped the notice of much of the broader world...This [collection] is superb, as it offers a very detailed and also fairly comprehensive look at the seminal years for South Korean economic growth...Not everyone will want 650 pp. on economic (and other) policy under South Korean autocracy, but if you do this is the book for you.--Tyler Cowen "Marginal Revolution" (8/13/2012 12:00:00 AM)
This significant work on the Park Chung Hee era is composed of 21 chapters by as many Korean specialists...The work provides an enhanced understanding of the political and economic goals of Park Chung Hee (i.e., rich country and strong military) and the forceful means he was willing to use to achieve these goals. The scope and insightfulness of this collection of essays on this critical period in South Korean history make it a must for undergraduate and graduate library collections on Korea. It is strongly recommended for private collections on Korea as well.--J. M. Peek "Choice" (11/1/2011 12:00:00 AM)
This remarkable book will establish itself as the most significant work on the Park period.--Stephan Haggard, Graduate School of International Relations and Pacific Studies, University of California San Diego

Earn by promoting books

Earn money by sharing your favorite books through our Affiliate program.sign up to affiliate program link
Become an affiliate