Reassessing the Park Chung Hee Era, 1961-1979: Development, Political Thought, Democracy, and Cultural Influence

5. Park Chung Hee's Governing Ideas: Impact on National Consciousness and Identity

There is a good deal of research on the political leadership and ruling ideas of President Park Chung Hee (Pak Chŏnghŭi). Evaluations of him and his era are not only numerous but also diverse. Research on Park can be classified into two basic types: that which discusses the political nature of Park’s rule in relation to democracy and authoritarianism and that which focuses on the rapid modernization and economic advancement of South Korea. Politically focused research generally depicts Park as an undemocratic authoritarian or even as a dictatorial leader and thereby negates and discredits Park’s role in Korea’s economic achievements. Research focused on modernization and development generally praises his leadership and characterizes him as a practical leader who successfully achieved the difficult task of modernization. This second type of research tends to be indulgent toward Park’s authoritarianism as an “unavoidable cost.” Each type of research seems to have its own validity, yet each alone is incomplete for assessing Park Chung Hee and his era. Surprisingly, very few studies to date have focused on the structural characteristics of Park’s governing ideals or have taken into account national consciousness and his feelings toward national identity—the core of his political philosophy. It is precisely these ideals and their impact on Park’s political leadership and governing beliefs in modernization, democracy, and human rights that I propose to investigate in an attempt to draw a comprehensive understanding of the structural characteristics of his governing ideas. In spite of the tendency of previous politically focused research, I would propose a positive assessment of Park Chung Hee’s governing ideas and practices. 5 Park Chung Hee’s Governing Ideas: Impact on national Consciousness and Identity young Jak kim Young jak Kim 96 THE PHASE oF “nATIonAL ConSCIouSnESS” In PARK’S PoLITICAL IDEoLoGY Let me begin my analysis on President Park’s political ideology by examining the purposes of his military revolution. The Revolutionary Pledge (hyŏngmyŏng kongyak) of the Supreme Council for National Reconstruction (Kukka Chaegŏn Ch’oego Hoeŭi), which took over in a military coup on May 16, 1961, can be a beginning point for understanding and analyzing, at least, the subjective intentions of the revolution. After taking power on that day, the revolutionary committee declared: in order to rescue the fatherland from extreme danger, the military has finally unleashed a serious of actions and assumed the administrative, legislative, and judicial powers of the state completely and has organized a military committee.1 They called it the “revolution for national salvation” (kuguk hyŏngmyŏng) or the “revolution for national reconstruction” (chaegŏn hyŏngmyŏng) and justified it by saying that it came in time to save the nation from collapsing. “Nation” (kukka) and “national” (minjok) were key words in Park’s political mission. The official name of the military government was the Supreme Council for National Reconstruction (kukka chaegŏn), and Park stressed the importance of nationalism in almost every statement he made. “We should concentrate all our energy on eliminating old evils, thereby promoting ‘national morality’ (kungmin toŭi) and national spirit, improving national life (kungmin saenghwal) in social, economic, and all other fields, thereby blocking Communist attempts at aggression and constructing a genuine welfare state.”2 Park’s political ideals were so imbued with national consciousness and identity that he should be defined first and foremost as a nationalist and his political ideals and values should be placed within the framework of his nationalism-oriented political ideology. Despite the fact that he had served as a Japanese military officer during the colonial period and that he had once been close to the South Korean Labor Party during the early period of his military service in the Republic of Korea (ROK) Army, he was definitely a nationalist and strong anti-communist throughout his presidency. Park Chung Hee’s Governing Ideas 97 It is noteworthy that Park never rejected the values of democracy, such as political freedom or economic equality, when he emphasized “national salvation ” (national right to survival) or “national reconstruction.” Rather, he identified those democratic values, at least in principle, as the ultimate goals of the “revolution for national survival,” especially in the early stage of the revolution. The may 16 revolution is carried out in order to save this nation—and enable all our people to enjoy freedom, equality, and prosperity in the political, economic, social, cultural...