South Korea’s Conservative Turn & U.S.-Korea Relations
South Korea’s Conservative Turn & U.S.-Korea Relations
Chaibong Hahm
Senior Political Scientist
RAND Corporation
Chaibong Hahm
Senior Political Scientist
RAND Corporation
2007 Election2007 Election
Lee Myung-bak: Conservative GNP 48.7% 11.49 million votes
Chung Dong-young: UNDP 26.2% 6.17 million votes
Lee Hoe-chang: Ultra-Conservative Independent 15.6%
Lee Myung-bak: Conservative GNP 48.7% 11.49 million votes
Chung Dong-young: UNDP 26.2% 6.17 million votes
Lee Hoe-chang: Ultra-Conservative Independent 15.6%
Two Koreans Two Koreans
Roh Mu-hyun (DOB: Aug. 6, 1946) Poverty High school, Bar Exam:
Judge, lawyer Human Rights lawyer Opposition Politician Minister Progressive
Roh Mu-hyun (DOB: Aug. 6, 1946) Poverty High school, Bar Exam:
Judge, lawyer Human Rights lawyer Opposition Politician Minister Progressive
Lee Myung-bak (DOB: Dec. 9, 1941) Poverty College, student activist CEO, Hyundai Construction Ruling Party Politician Mayor of Seoul Conservative
Lee Myung-bak (DOB: Dec. 9, 1941) Poverty College, student activist CEO, Hyundai Construction Ruling Party Politician Mayor of Seoul Conservative
IDEOLOGYIDEOLOGY
Left/Progressive Democracy
Anti-authoritarianism
Nationalism Reconciliation w/ NK
Labor (Minjung)
Left/Progressive Democracy
Anti-authoritarianism
Nationalism Reconciliation w/ NK
Labor (Minjung)
Right/Conservative Development
Mobilization
Anti-Communism S.Korean State
Capital (e.g.Chaebol)
Right/Conservative Development
Mobilization
Anti-Communism S.Korean State
Capital (e.g.Chaebol)
‘87 System‘87 System
1987: Democratization Authoritarianism de-legitimized
1997: Financial Crisis Developmental State de-legitimized
Left Dictated the Terms of Political Discourse: “Democracy v. Dictatorship” “National Reunification v. National Division” “Workers (Minjung) v. Capitalists (Chaebol)”
1987: Democratization Authoritarianism de-legitimized
1997: Financial Crisis Developmental State de-legitimized
Left Dictated the Terms of Political Discourse: “Democracy v. Dictatorship” “National Reunification v. National Division” “Workers (Minjung) v. Capitalists (Chaebol)”
ContradictionsContradictions
1997 Financial Crisis: Limits of Developmental State Inevitability of Globalization
Progressive Govts’ Pro-Market Reforms Kim Dae-jung: FDI, Consumer Credit, Dot.com
Cooperated w/ the IMF to open Korean Market
Roh Mu-hyun: Free Trade Agreement w/ U.S.
Rhetoric: Nationalism, Anti-Americanism Anti-capital (anti-chaebol)
1997 Financial Crisis: Limits of Developmental State Inevitability of Globalization
Progressive Govts’ Pro-Market Reforms Kim Dae-jung: FDI, Consumer Credit, Dot.com
Cooperated w/ the IMF to open Korean Market
Roh Mu-hyun: Free Trade Agreement w/ U.S.
Rhetoric: Nationalism, Anti-Americanism Anti-capital (anti-chaebol)
The EconomyThe Economy
Destruction of powerful labor unions as companies go bankrupt and massive layoffs take place
Those chaebols that survive become globally competitive w/ less government interference
Free-market forces increasingly take over income disparity and job insecurity increases
under leftist/progressive governments
Destruction of powerful labor unions as companies go bankrupt and massive layoffs take place
Those chaebols that survive become globally competitive w/ less government interference
Free-market forces increasingly take over income disparity and job insecurity increases
under leftist/progressive governments
Housing & EducationHousing & Education
Restricting new housing while trying to keep the real estate prices down in Seoul through “anti-speculation” measures
Keeping Education “fair” and “equal” by severely restricting Universities’ student selection method & criteria
=> Explosion of social discontent
Restricting new housing while trying to keep the real estate prices down in Seoul through “anti-speculation” measures
Keeping Education “fair” and “equal” by severely restricting Universities’ student selection method & criteria
=> Explosion of social discontent
PoliticsPolitics
Undercutting workers, political base of progressive governments
Undercutting the middle class while calling for “Citizens’ Participatory Democracy”
Undercutting workers, political base of progressive governments
Undercutting the middle class while calling for “Citizens’ Participatory Democracy”
Politics of HistoryPolitics of History
Preoccupation w/ History Pro-Authoritarian Government Collaborators Atrocities of U.S. & S. Korean Forces during the
Korean War Pro-Japanese Collaborators Japanese History Book Revisions Chinese Revision of Northeast Asian History
Moralistic Past-Orientation in the Age of Globalization & Information Revolution
Preoccupation w/ History Pro-Authoritarian Government Collaborators Atrocities of U.S. & S. Korean Forces during the
Korean War Pro-Japanese Collaborators Japanese History Book Revisions Chinese Revision of Northeast Asian History
Moralistic Past-Orientation in the Age of Globalization & Information Revolution
Korean Nationalism & the U.S.Korean Nationalism & the U.S. Selling out Korea to Japan: 1905 Taft-Katsura
Agreement Imposing Rightist/Pro-U.S. Government on South
Korea: U.S. Military Rule (1945-48) U.S. military atrocities against Korean civilians
during the Korean War Supporting Military Dictators: exploitation of
workers, Kwangju Massacre Killing of Two School Girls by U.S. army on exercise 2002 Election of Roh Mu-hyun: never been to the
U.S.
Selling out Korea to Japan: 1905 Taft-Katsura Agreement
Imposing Rightist/Pro-U.S. Government on South Korea: U.S. Military Rule (1945-48)
U.S. military atrocities against Korean civilians during the Korean War
Supporting Military Dictators: exploitation of workers, Kwangju Massacre
Killing of Two School Girls by U.S. army on exercise 2002 Election of Roh Mu-hyun: never been to the
U.S.
Fraying of the AllianceFraying of the Alliance
S. Korea: a more independent foreign policy:
“balancer between U.S. & China”
De-linking inter-Korean relations from U.S.-ROK alliance
S. Korea: a more independent foreign policy:
“balancer between U.S. & China”
De-linking inter-Korean relations from U.S.-ROK alliance
Loosening Military Ties:Loosening Military Ties:
Progressives wanting to reduce U.S. military presence in S. Korea
U.S. Military’s global restructuring: emphasizing burden sharing, increasing the contribution of host country
Roh & Rumsfeld perversely re-enforced each other’s policy: agreement to transfer wartime operational control
Progressives wanting to reduce U.S. military presence in S. Korea
U.S. Military’s global restructuring: emphasizing burden sharing, increasing the contribution of host country
Roh & Rumsfeld perversely re-enforced each other’s policy: agreement to transfer wartime operational control
Contradictory PoliciesContradictory Policies
Transfer of Wartime Operations Command & Control
Sending troops to Iraq
Free Trade Agreement
Transfer of Wartime Operations Command & Control
Sending troops to Iraq
Free Trade Agreement
Rise of the New-RightRise of the New-Right
Shifting the Terms of Political Discourse What comes after Industrialization &
Democratization?
Left: Left: reckoning w/ the past
New Right: “Advanced Industrialization Nation”: future orientation
Shifting the Terms of Political Discourse What comes after Industrialization &
Democratization?
Left: Left: reckoning w/ the past
New Right: “Advanced Industrialization Nation”: future orientation
The New DiscourseThe New Discourse
Liberty v. Equality
Growth v. Welfare
Market v. State
Globalization v. Nationalism
Liberty v. Equality
Growth v. Welfare
Market v. State
Globalization v. Nationalism
Pragmatism in Foreign PolicyPragmatism in Foreign Policy
Reaffirm alliance w/ U.S.
Improve ties w/ Japan
Sunshine towards N.K. but demand reciprocity (de-nuclearization)
Reaffirm alliance w/ U.S.
Improve ties w/ Japan
Sunshine towards N.K. but demand reciprocity (de-nuclearization)
Pragmatic Economic PoliciesPragmatic Economic Policies
Growth through de-regulation & market liberalization: “747”
7% per annum growth rate
$40,000 per capita income
7th largest economy in the world
Growth through de-regulation & market liberalization: “747”
7% per annum growth rate
$40,000 per capita income
7th largest economy in the world