Korean democratisation
Topic: Paths to Modernisation: Japan, China, Korea · NCERT: Class 11, Ch 7 "Paths to Modernisation"
Meaning
Korean democratisation means South Korea's long journey from dictators and military rule to a working democracy. The key steps were the April Revolution of 1960, the Gwangju movement of 1980 and the June Democracy Movement of 1987. The 1987 movement won direct presidential elections. Kim Young-sam was elected in 1992 as the first civilian president, meaning the first who was not a general. Kim Dae-jung's victory in December 1997 brought the first peaceful transfer of power to the opposition. The NCERT verdict is that economic growth helped, but the people's own political awareness led democratisation.
Example
In 2016 millions of citizens joined peaceful candlelight protests against President Park Geun-hye, who was South Korea's first woman president. She was impeached, or formally removed by law, in March 2017. Moon Jae-in was elected president later that year.
Don't confuse with
- Korea's economic growth: fast growth under Park Chung-hee came with harsh dictatorship. Rising income alone did not bring democracy. Citizens' protests did.
Related concepts
- Taiwan
- Cross-Strait relations
- Joseon dynasty
- Japanese annexation of Korea
- 38th parallel
- Korean War
- Park Chung-hee
- Export-oriented industrialisation
- Import substitution industrialisation
- Saemaul Movement