David T. Johnson and Franklin E. Zimring
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- May 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195337402
- eISBN:
- 9780199868674
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195337402.003.0005
- Subject:
- Political Science, Comparative Politics
In South Korea and Taiwan, capital punishment has been highly open to change during the development and democratization processes, and its importance in those societies has been deeply political and ...
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In South Korea and Taiwan, capital punishment has been highly open to change during the development and democratization processes, and its importance in those societies has been deeply political and symbolic. But the death penalty in these two jurisdictions can hardly be called a minor institution with “minuscule impact,” for democratic transitions in both places have pivoted on the imperative of distancing the present from a past in which capital punishment was a familiar feature of law and politics. This chapter and the next focus on two central questions. First, what explains the rapid decline of capital punishment in South Korea and Taiwan during the last decade and the purposeful pursuit of abolition in both places? And second, to what extent will South Korea and Taiwan become an Asian vanguard, leading other jurisdictions in the region on the road to life without the death penalty?Less
In South Korea and Taiwan, capital punishment has been highly open to change during the development and democratization processes, and its importance in those societies has been deeply political and symbolic. But the death penalty in these two jurisdictions can hardly be called a minor institution with “minuscule impact,” for democratic transitions in both places have pivoted on the imperative of distancing the present from a past in which capital punishment was a familiar feature of law and politics. This chapter and the next focus on two central questions. First, what explains the rapid decline of capital punishment in South Korea and Taiwan during the last decade and the purposeful pursuit of abolition in both places? And second, to what extent will South Korea and Taiwan become an Asian vanguard, leading other jurisdictions in the region on the road to life without the death penalty?
Danielle Chubb
- Published in print:
- 2014
- Published Online:
- November 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780231161367
- eISBN:
- 9780231536325
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Columbia University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7312/columbia/9780231161367.001.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, International Relations and Politics
This book traces the development of various policy disputes and perspectives from the period of South Korea’s democratic transition and provides an understanding of how policymakers have managed ...
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This book traces the development of various policy disputes and perspectives from the period of South Korea’s democratic transition and provides an understanding of how policymakers have managed inter-Korean relations. It shows how, in South Korea, the contentious debate over relations with the North transcends traditional considerations of physical and economic security. It also describes how political activists play a critical role in shaping the discussion of these issues as they pursue the separate yet connected agendas of democracy, human rights, and unification. The book focuses on four case studies—the 1980 Kwangju uprising, the June 1987 uprising, the move toward democracy in the 1990s, and the decade of “progressive” government that began with the election of Kim Dae Jung in 1997. It tracks activists’ complex views on reunification along with the rise and fall of more radical voices encouraging the adoption of a North Korean style of socialism. It shows that, while these specific arguments have dissipated over the years, their vestiges can still be found in recent discussions over how to engage with North Korea and bring security and peace to the peninsula. The book shows how the historical trajectory of norms and beliefs can have a significant effect on a state’s threat perceptions and security policy.Less
This book traces the development of various policy disputes and perspectives from the period of South Korea’s democratic transition and provides an understanding of how policymakers have managed inter-Korean relations. It shows how, in South Korea, the contentious debate over relations with the North transcends traditional considerations of physical and economic security. It also describes how political activists play a critical role in shaping the discussion of these issues as they pursue the separate yet connected agendas of democracy, human rights, and unification. The book focuses on four case studies—the 1980 Kwangju uprising, the June 1987 uprising, the move toward democracy in the 1990s, and the decade of “progressive” government that began with the election of Kim Dae Jung in 1997. It tracks activists’ complex views on reunification along with the rise and fall of more radical voices encouraging the adoption of a North Korean style of socialism. It shows that, while these specific arguments have dissipated over the years, their vestiges can still be found in recent discussions over how to engage with North Korea and bring security and peace to the peninsula. The book shows how the historical trajectory of norms and beliefs can have a significant effect on a state’s threat perceptions and security policy.
Sang-hoon Ahn and So-chung Lee
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- March 2012
- ISBN:
- 9781861345523
- eISBN:
- 9781447302162
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Policy Press
- DOI:
- 10.1332/policypress/9781861345523.003.0008
- Subject:
- Sociology, Comparative and Historical Sociology
This chapter focuses on the South Korean welfare system, analysing the role of Confucianism in this system. It reveals the crucial role of an authoritarian state dictatorship (backed by the US) in ...
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This chapter focuses on the South Korean welfare system, analysing the role of Confucianism in this system. It reveals the crucial role of an authoritarian state dictatorship (backed by the US) in suppressing civil society, partly through the demonisation of the communist north, and forcing the pace of export-oriented industrialisation. The second phase of South Korean welfare system building, under the first democratically elected governments, saw substantial expansion and the creation of a welfare state framework. But this structure lacked a unifying philosophy that would ensure long-term survival. The final stage of welfare development, under the People's Government of Kim Dae Jung, is notable for the universalisation of welfare to some extent, despite the economic crisis and a loss of autonomy to the international economic agencies. Today, the chapter argues, the main characteristic of South Korean welfare is selectivity.Less
This chapter focuses on the South Korean welfare system, analysing the role of Confucianism in this system. It reveals the crucial role of an authoritarian state dictatorship (backed by the US) in suppressing civil society, partly through the demonisation of the communist north, and forcing the pace of export-oriented industrialisation. The second phase of South Korean welfare system building, under the first democratically elected governments, saw substantial expansion and the creation of a welfare state framework. But this structure lacked a unifying philosophy that would ensure long-term survival. The final stage of welfare development, under the People's Government of Kim Dae Jung, is notable for the universalisation of welfare to some extent, despite the economic crisis and a loss of autonomy to the international economic agencies. Today, the chapter argues, the main characteristic of South Korean welfare is selectivity.
Elizabeth Thurbon
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- August 2016
- ISBN:
- 9781501702525
- eISBN:
- 9781501704178
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Cornell University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7591/cornell/9781501702525.003.0006
- Subject:
- Political Science, Asian Politics
This chapter examines further liberalization of the Korean economy under President Kim Dae-Jung as an answer to the 1997 Asian financial crisis. It argues that Kim aimed to redress once and for all ...
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This chapter examines further liberalization of the Korean economy under President Kim Dae-Jung as an answer to the 1997 Asian financial crisis. It argues that Kim aimed to redress once and for all the main cost of Korea's “growth first” strategy. That cost was a grossly imbalanced industrial ecosystem that benefited Korea's large firms (chaebol) at the expense of its smaller, nonchaebol firms, which made up the bulk of the economy, creating significant economic distortions and political tensions. The chapter also discusses the consequences of these reforms. The liberalization policies returned the state to the center of the national banking system and galvanized developmentally minded bureaucrats in key economic ministries. Moreover, the promotion of nonchaebol firms called for the development and expansion of new forms of financial activism, including the significant expansion of state-backed venture investment funds.Less
This chapter examines further liberalization of the Korean economy under President Kim Dae-Jung as an answer to the 1997 Asian financial crisis. It argues that Kim aimed to redress once and for all the main cost of Korea's “growth first” strategy. That cost was a grossly imbalanced industrial ecosystem that benefited Korea's large firms (chaebol) at the expense of its smaller, nonchaebol firms, which made up the bulk of the economy, creating significant economic distortions and political tensions. The chapter also discusses the consequences of these reforms. The liberalization policies returned the state to the center of the national banking system and galvanized developmentally minded bureaucrats in key economic ministries. Moreover, the promotion of nonchaebol firms called for the development and expansion of new forms of financial activism, including the significant expansion of state-backed venture investment funds.
