| The Park Chung Hee Era: the transformation of South Korea In 1961 South Korea was mired in poverty. By 1979 it had a powerful industrial economy and a vibrant civil society in the making, which would lead to a democratic breakthrough eight years later. The transformation took place during the years of Park Chung Hee's presidency. Park seized power in a coup in 1961 and ruled as a virtual dictator until his assassination in October 1979. He is credited with modernizing South Korea, but at a huge political and social cost. Kim Byung-Kook : Byung-Kook Kim is Professor of Political Science and International Relations, Korea University.Vogel Ezra F. : Ezra F. Vogel is Henry Ford II Professor of the Social Sciences Emeritus at Harvard and former Director of Harvard's Fairbank Center for East Asian Research and the Asia Center.Domínguez Jorge I. : Jorge I. Domínguez is Antonio Medero Professor of Mexican and Latin American Politics and Economics, Harvard University. |