Modernization in Korea

Introduction

The concept of modernization refers to the transition of traditional and primitive societies into modern ones in terms of urbanization, secularization, and industrialization. It is a continuous process. As far as modernization in Korea is concerned, South Korea witnessed astonishing economic development via highly structured industrialization. Innovation and technology are the main ingredients in the modernization of South Korea. According to the Research, its GDP is even more than the USA and Japan.

In the 20th century, South Korea was an underdeveloped country that depended on agrarian nature and mainly relied on help from foreign countries. In the 1960s with the rise of military leadership it reached the peak of economic development that turned out to be an industrial highflier for the next few decades. South Korea also saw a similar transformation of the social sphere, which also makes it a modern country.

The Formation of Modern Korea

• After World War II, the Allies' power divided the country into two parts & the one in the northern part supported by the Soviets and the other one in the southern part protected by the United States.

• In 1948 when powers failed to agree upon a single conclusion in order to form a government, the partition continued and these two states came to be known as the modern states of North Korea and South Korea.

• In 1950 the new leader of the North area started the Korean War in order to reunify but failed to reach any unanimous conclusion for unification.

• While both countries were led by military rule, South Korea modernized and liberalized in terms of the economy and social structure. Whereas North Korea remained under totalitarian military rule and did not progress much and its economy deteriorated with time due to the collapse of foreign aid.

Causes of Modernization in South Korea

Before its economy stood out from its traditional slump, Korea was one of the poorest countries in the world, with limited natural resources and rapidly growing population pressures.

• Economic Growth −The key factor of economic development in Korea is the industrialization initiated by the government of the country. The newly installed military government was clear with the fact that Korea is a country, which has rare resources but has plentiful educated manpower. So President Park Hung Hee, initiated an industrialization based on the labor-concentrated and exportoriented system of the economy.

• Social change− Another important factor in the process of modernization was the social change in South Korea, in which the rise of the middle class was at centre. Land reforms made in the 1950’s along with the circulation of modern education and economic growth, set the stage for the middle class to come to power by replacing the privileged class yangban (landholding class). The middle class played a vital role in the demand for democracy in the country.

A Korean Official During his Stay in China, Taken in 1863

Unknown sourceUnknown source, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

According to the old system only men were considered heads of families, thus, children were automatically successors of the father's family and not of the mother’s. But the new system raised the women’s position in society in different areas like women’s right to property and child custody etc. It also recognized equal rights of inheritance for stepchildren and adopted ones like the biological ones.

• Rapid Urbanization − The concept of the nuclear family is on the rise in Korea along with the active participation of women in the economy. The life expectancies had increased along with the decreasing birth rates. The overall population is also expected to decrease in the next century, which would further speed up the economic growth of the country.

• Education − With substantial involvement of the government and reawakening of the Korean people’s urge toward education, led to the rapid development of education in the country. Therefore, the development of educational institutes along with the commercial industries in South Korea and its nearby cities attracted people from the rural areas to migrate in these urbanized areas for better prospects. Mainly Seoul saw a large population increase.

Aerial View of SEOUL

Brücke-Osteuropa, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

• Transportation and communication −There was a dramatic increase in the urban population that paved the way for a considerable growth in communications media, mainly the publishing of newspapers and magazines. At the same time, an aspiring programme was initiated to enlarge the country’s infrastructure in terms of transportation as well.

Challenges to South Korea’s Modernization

• South Korea has been successful in the process of modernization but nowadays faces severe challenges mainly from China. For many years Korea has remained one of the major exporters of the world.

• Since the Chinese government began to emphasize the manufacturing of high skills and export. This can be harmful for South Korea’s economy as for many years China had been a large importer of Korean goods.

• China is also pacing up the innovation and industrialization and now approaching other countries like the USA and Japan for exporting their goods.

• In addition to this, South Korea’s limited geographical size, natural resources, and demographic structure (Where the aging population poses a threat to the economy) may affect its modernization process and may bring it behind to other developed countries.

Conclusion

During the nineteenth to the twentieth century, modernization became a worldwide phenomenon. One of the countries where the modernization occurred was South Korea, which was initially an agrarian-based country. The country witnessed remarkable economic advancement with innovation and industrialization as a part of modernization. The social structure also underwent changes where privileges of the landowning class came to be replaced by the middle class, who rose to power due to economic growth. At the same time, the more modern concept of the nuclear family came into being and women got equal rights in many aspects. However, the wave of modernization also spread in other countries of the world, which began to pose a threat to Korea’s modernization.

FAQs

Q1. Who was the Allies' power in World War II?

Ans. In World War II the major allies were Great Britain, the United States, China, and the Soviet Union.

Q2. When did World War II take place?

Ans. World War II started in September 1939 and lasted in 1945. The war continued for six years and impacted the whole world.

Q3. Explain the land reforms of Korea in the 20th century.

Ans. By the end of the military occupation of South Korea, the United States Army government redistributed the Japanese-owned land to tenants. In this redistribution program, they transferred several acres of farm land to peasants who have been involved in either full or part-time farming.

Q4. What is the purpose of modernization?

Ans. Modernization is a process that aims at the development of a nation or country in all aspects. This process involved the expansion of means of communication and transport, urbanization and industrialization, reforms in society, incorporation of western education, and a legal system with universalistic approach. The process of modernization helps in completing a country’s transformation from an underdeveloped to developing or developed country.

Q5. Where did modernization first occur in the world?

Ans. The process of modernization began from Europe, mainly in England with the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. Later it spread to other countries like Germany, France, and the Netherlands and gradually to countries of different continents like the USA, China, Japan, Korea, etc.