Park Chung Hee Essay Example

of repressive government by the first president, Syngman Rhee, the country was led to more trouble. Syngman Rhee was forced out of office into exile after the April 19 Revolution, which consisted of student mass demonstrations against widespread orruption and despotic rule.

The incompetence and corruption of the Syngman Rhee administration, the death of a high school student involved in the protests and riots, Kim Ju Yul, election riggings, economic difficulties, and violence towards students were many of the reasons for the revolution by the discontent students and citizens. The staggering results of the revolution included 183 fatalities and over 6000 injuries. Syngman Rhee’s resignation as president in April 26, 1960 called for a new leader, which again, did not resolve the problem in South Korea.

A new democratic government took office on August 13, 1960, with Yun Bo Seon as the new president and Chang Myon as the prime minister, with most of the power vested in Chang Myon. Problems arose immediately because neither was able to command any loyalty from the majority of the Democratic Party or reach agreements on the composition of the cabinet. As a leader, Prime Minister Chang was disorganized and indecisive, as he held the tenuous coalition together by reshuffling cabinet positions three times within five months.

The government that had already suffered from years of mismanagement and corruption under the Rhee presidency was faced with more obstacles, as protestors filled the streets, making demands for political and economic reforms. The police were demoralized and discredited by the public, and the continuous arguing within the government caused the public to turn away. Problems had accumulated to the point that no one could

possibly fix the situation. The political chaos and social uproar created a perfect environment for the military to intervene.

The pervasive poverty and corruption was a justification for the coup d’etat of May 1961 by General Park Chung Hee. Different from the previous government’s differentiation in politics, the Park regime developed a new, undifferentiated and homogenous mass, based on the principle of freedom and equality among the people. With the state and citizens both picturing themselves as constituting the homogeneous nation, Park gave hope to the majority of the South Koreans, who were before deprived, isolated, and abused.

The people’s widespread desire and collective will to relieve themselves of poverty and to improve their standard of living was consistent with the Park’s intention of monopolizing the consciousness and behavior of South Koreans through his ways of modern mass political movement. In Park’s view, social cohesion and political stability, both of which he accomplished, were vital for paving the foundation for further development. After years and years of chaos and confusion, Park’s effective leadership had finally brought political and social order to the country.

After resolving and consolidating the domestic stability South Korea, Park acquired vital elements for economic development by confronting powerful nations with his great diplomacy skills. Like the third world countries we see today, South Korea was one of the poorest and weakest countries in the world, and it was obvious to Park that South Korea would eventually be exploited and dragged around by powerful countries. With South Korea having no advanced technology or abundant natural resources, it was impossible to develop the country’s economy without the powerful countries as a source of capital.

Park understood exactly

what the powerful countries desired and with this knowledge, he used it as a tool to derive a method of obtaining South Korea’s needs. An example of this was the diplomatic ties between South Korea and West Germany. Park wanted financial assistance from West Germany, but he knew that a request so great coming from a poor country like South Korea would cause apprehension for Germany. As collateral, Park sent more than 8,000 mineworkers and over 10,000 nurses between 1963 and 1977.

To acquire capital through another mean, Park established basic diplomatic relations with Japan by signing the Treaty on Basic Relations between Japan and the Republic of Korea on June 22, 1965. Many South Koreans viewed this treaty as a humiliating pact because they believed that it was hardly enough to compensate for the losses during the colonial era. Park, who used to be an officer of the Imperial Japanese Army, was accused by many South Koreans for being too friendly with Japan and called him a “Chinilpa”, which was a degrading label for people who were pro-Japanese.

However, having a friendly relationship with Japan was emotionally impossible during those times due to South Korea’s grudge against Japan’s colonial history. Rather than Park trying to be friends with Japan, his actions were based upon his strategy to develop South Korea into a prosperous country. If someone other than Park were in his position, they would have most likely not pushed their personal ideals aside, which would have ultimately taken a big bite out of the important steps in developing South Korea’s economy. Park was the one and only individual who could have made such radical decision.

Of

all the diplomatic relationships, the one with the United States was the most crucial to South Korea. On the event of Park’s coup d’etat on May 16, 1961, the new Kennedy government had taken its place for only 4 months. It was obvious that Park’s illegal government was a serious concern to the Kennedy government because it conflicted with the United States’ democratic dogma. With the diplomatic route of the Third World countries not yet established, accepting Park’s government would mean that future foreign policies of the United States must accept other types of government other than democracy.

However, if Kennedy’s government declined to accept Park’s government, it would risk the formation of more coup d’etat or communist governments. Park understood this dilemma and accepted and fulfilled the conditions that USA offered, such as organizing a civilian government and eradicating corruption within the government. Park made an executive decision by dispatching approximately 320,000 South Korean troops to fight alongside the United States during the Vietnam War.

This allowed South Korea to show that they were willing to contribute to anti-communism. South Korea played an important role as a defensive post against the spread of communism in East Asia. The actions conducted by Park were ways of gaining loyalty from the United States, allowing for the enormous capital support from most wealthy and powerful country in the world. With his great diplomacy skills, Park Chung Hee was able to tactically obtain foreign capital in order to spark tremendous economic development in South Korea.

By understanding and targeting the areas in need of development, Park Chung Hee was able to successfully develop South Korea form one of the poorest countries

in the world to now one of the most economically superior countries. Through careful consideration and analysis of the economic situation in South Korea, Park and the government adopted an economic strategy of creating heavy and chemical industries and paying for imports by increasing exports.

In 1962, the First Five Year Economic Plan was launched, and South Korea’s exports increased from $55 million in 1962 to $12. billion in 1978. The per capita GNP also rose rapidly from $87 to $1,242. By finally surpassing North Korea in economic power, South Korea had reached the status of a “new industrial nation”. As Park continued in the quest for industrialization, he also kept the agricultural sector in mind by establishing the Saemaeul Undong (New Village Movement), which transformed South Korea’s agricultural sector. Compared to many other state-led models, which ended in failure, Park used competition for efficient and effective industrialization.

Through intense competition within the nation and the gradual permeability of the market to international competitors polished South Korea’s competitiveness and prevented it from downfall. With both the chaebol and the Saemaul Undong programs, Park enhanced the flow of resources to the leading companies and farms. Park made sure that everyone had the chance to succeed by promoting success and stressing high-level education for all. For Park, his economic strategy was difficult to defend because he needed keep strong against the opposition from powerful interest groups.

By limiting the military budget, opposition from the military and industrial supporters began to arise. The SeoulPusan highway project required him to also fight the opposition coming from the World Bank and the U. S. aid program. However, in Park’s glory, the highway became

the backbone of South Korea’s development, and also one of the most important transit routes in South Korea today. Park’s sustained economic success required a tough, determined imposition of priorities on a profoundly divided society notable for powerful opposition. Park’s efforts in modernization were accredited and made permanent by building strong institutions.

Park’s accelerated economic development may have been susceptible to social instability and disruption, but his institutional building and economic success saved South Korea. Park Chung Hee is unquestionably one of the greatest leaders who had ever existed. He overcame the problems that no one every dreamed of accomplishing. He resolved the chaotic political and social conditions, the obstacles of obtaining capital from powerful countries, and relieving the country from having the poorest economic conditions in the world. Although he faced much opposition, Park never backed down.