history of South Korea
South Korea is a country that symbolizes different things to different audiences. Some perceive it as a hub for digital progression, others as a home to famous heritage sites and others, as the heritage to the famous “Gangnam Style” dance. This essay delves into the history of South Korea. Over time, South Korea has undergone social, economic, and political transformations that have driven its existence today as a stable, peaceful, and prosperous nation.
Geographically, South Korea in East Asia on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. The nation’s only land boundary is the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea that borders South Korea on the northern side. Otherwise, the country’s other borders are mainly water bodies, the East Sea to the east, the East China Sea to the south, and the Yellow Sea to the west. The Korean Strait lies on the nation’s southeastern side, separating it from the Japanese Island of Tsushima. In general, South Korea is a country with an extensive coastline across three vast seas; the East Sea, East China Sea, and the Yellow Sea.
Socially, the country comprises of a highly homogenous population. The residents of the nation are of the Korean ethnic group. Historians believe that Koreans were initially from Central Asia in the Lake Baikal region of Siberia, Mongolia, and the coastal areas of the Yellow Sea. The South Korean population partly comprises of other ethnic groups such as Japanese, Han Chinese, and white Americans who also live in the region. The official language spoken in the country is Korean. Due to the uniformity in ethnic composition and language, the South Korean population proves to be predominantly homogenous.
The economy of South Korea has significantly transformed over the past six decades. Unlike previous years when the country was mostly agrarian, in the early 1960s, it converted to an industrialized economy. From 1962, the government offered flexible and committed support to manufacturing industries, especially those that were export-oriented. The availability of skilled and educated labor within the South Korean population also drove the growth of the sector. The country began with textile and light manufacturing and later progressed to implement heavy industries such as iron and steel in the 1970s. In 1996, the nation joined the economic block in the area – the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, which further propelled the country economically. Today, the country’s per capita gross national income exceeds that of its neighboring nations, Japan and Taiwan.
Politically, the nation has seen six subsequent governments, referred to as “republics.” As World War II came to an end, Korea divided into two territories for administrative purposes; South and North Korea. The territories failed to agree, and war broke out between the two regions between 1950 and 1953. The Korean War saw millions lose their lives. The northern area under the Soviet Union and aided by China attacked the southern one, which was under the rule of the United States (“The Korean War (1950–53)”, 00:01:23- 00:04:30). The Korean War happened during the nation’s First Republic.
South Korean’s six republics had varying administrative styles and ideologies. The First Republic was a presidential system which was an establishment of August 1948 under the leadership of President Syngman Rhee. Following his re-election in 1952, Rhee’s administration conflicted with the opposition over a bill that intended to introduce a parliamentary cabinet system. However, the bill failed, and the conflict persisted. The Second Republic was established in 1961 after a military coup put military leader Par Chung-Hee in power. The government implemented political changes such as taking over state machinery, dissolving the National Assembly, and imposing a ban on political activity as reforms they believed would solve the nation’s ills. However, the republic only lasted nine months and ushered in the Third Republic in 1963 under the leadership of Park Chun-Hee, who topped his rival Yun Po-Son in the presidential elections. He was re-elected for his second term in 1967 as the leader of the Civil Rule Party and later, for a third term, after a forced amendment of the constitution.
Following political protests and opposition, Park declared a state of emergency in 1971, and in 1972, he suspended the constitution, dissolved the legislature. In 1972, Park created the Fourth Republic under the Yushin Order that allowed for an unlimited six-year presidential term. The fifth republic is a creation of 1981 after the October 1979 assassination of Park by Kim Jong-gu. The nation elected Chun Doo-Hwan as president. However, the public demonstrated dissatisfaction with the government, and Roh Tae-woo took over through the presidential elections of 1987, which ushered in the Sixth Republic. President Roh ruled from 1988 to 1993, a period through which he enhanced diplomatic relations between his country and China, East Europe, and the Soviet Union. He also influenced foreign policy and hosted the Seoul Olympics, which put the country on the grand international stage. In the 1992 elections, President Kim Young became the country’s new president who ruled until 1998 and enhanced the relations between South and North Korea. In 19978, the nation experienced an economic crisis that led to the election of Kim Dae-Jung, the leader of the opposition, into the presidency. The Sixth Republic continues to run South Korea to date.
South Korea has grown through multiple changes in its social, economic, and political arenas. While some parts may not be appealing, a real accounting of South Korean’s history includes the good, the bad, and the ugly past. All these have driven it to become today’s stable, peaceful, and prosperous nation.
Work Cited
“The Korean War (1950–53).” Youtube, uploaded by Simple History, 21 February 2018, www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxaegqvl4aE