Understanding Korean Politics

An Introduction

Edited by Soong Hoom Kil & Chung-in Moon

Subjects: Asian Studies
Series: SUNY series in Korean Studies
Paperback : 9780791448908, 376 pages, May 2001
Hardcover : 9780791448892, 376 pages, June 2001
Out of print (Hardcover)

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Table of contents

List of Tables

1. INTRODUCTION: UNDERSTANDING KOREAN POLITICS
Soong Hoom Kil and Chung-in Moon

 

Understanding Korean Politics: Four Legacies
Structure of the Book

 

2. KOREAN POLITICS: SETTING AND POLITICAL CULTURE
Woon-Tai Kim

 

Geopolitical Setting
Economic Setting
Social Setting
Political Culture
Conclusion

 

3. DEVELOPMENT OF KOREAN POLITICS--A HISTORICAL PROFILE
Soong Hoom Kil

 

American Occupation and the First and Second Republics (1945-1960)
In the Heart of Darkness: Political History of the Third through Sixth Republics
Broken Promises: Politics and Economy under the Kim Young Sam Government
Conclusion: Toward a New Political Horizon

 

4. THE INSTITUTIONAL FOUNDATIONS OF KOREAN POLITICS
David C. Kang

 

Institutions and Politics
Institutional Foundations of Korean Politics
Political Implications for Korean Politics
Conclusion

 

5. POLITICAL LEADERSHIP IN KOREAN POLITICS
Ki-shik S. J. Hahn

 

The Political Leaders of the First and Second Republics
The Political Leaders of the Third and Fourth Republics
The Political Leaders of the Fifth and Sixth Republics
Conclusion: Evaluating Political Leadership and the Patterns of Official Recruitment

 

6. THE POLITICAL PROCESS IN KOREA
Jung Bock Lee

 

Elections in Korea
The Political Parties of Korea
Students, the Military, Mass Media, and Interest Groups in Korea
Conclusion

 

7. THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS IN KOREA
Dong-suh Bark

 

History of the Korean Administration: An Overview
Democratization of the Administration
Functions of the Administration
Administrative Division of Labor and Resource Mobilization
Enhancing Bureaucratic Performance: Evaluation and Control
Conclusion

 

8. THE POLITICS OF ECONOMIC RISE AND DECLINE IN SOUTH KOREA
Chung-in Moon and Sunghack Lim

 

Contending Models of the Political Economy of South Korea: Market, the State, Networks, and the International System
Historical Trajectory of Economic Transformation: An Empirical Overview
Accounting for the Rise and Decline of the Korean Economy
Conclusion

 

9. THE FOREIGN AND UNIFICATION POLICIES OF THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA
Byung Chul Koh

 

Themes in South Korea's Foreign Policy
Changes in South Korea's Foreign Policy
Continuity and Change in South Korea's Unification Policy
The Unification Policy of the Kim Young Sam Government
The "Sunshine" Policy of the Kim Dae Jung Government
Conclusion

 

10. UNDERSTANDING THE NORTH KOREAN POLITICAL FRAMEWORK
Sung Chul Yang

 

Approaches to the Study of North Korean Politics
Common Elements: Promise versus Practice
Deviations: Objective Conditions and Subjective Attributes
Conclusion

 

Appendices

 

1. Suggested Reading List
2. Map of Korea
3. Basic Facts on Korea and the Korean Peninsula
4. Korean Constitution
5. Government Structure of the Republic of Korea

 

Contributors

Index

Presents an indispensable survey of contemporary Korean politics.

Description

Essential reading for anyone interested in contemporary Korea and East Asia, this book provides a comprehensive and balanced introduction to contemporary Korean politics. It explicates the great changes in South Korea, which has gone from being one of the poorest nations to a proud member of the Organization for Economic Development and Cooperation while making the transition to democracy. The work focuses on the geopolitical and cultural setting, historical evolution, institutional foundation, dynamics of political leadership, and political and administrative processes of Korean politics. It also features chapters on political determinants of the rise and decline of the Korean economy, foreign and unification policy of South Korea, and political development and decay in North Korea.

Soong Hoom Kil is a member of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea and former Professor of Political Science at Seoul National University. He is the author of Contemporary Japanese Politics. Chung-in Moon is Professor of Political Science at Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea. He is the author of several books, including Globalization and Democratization in South Korea: Assessments and Projects and Democracy and the Korean Economy.

Reviews

"This book presents a complete overview of Korean politics including background material, current events and processes, and future prospects. This is a welcome addition to the Korean politics field, which has lacked such a comprehensive survey. Its contents go beyond purely introductory material, which makes it suitable not only for introductory Korean or East Asian politics courses but for fairly advanced comparative politics courses as well. " — HeeMin Kim, Florida State University