North and South Korea: Stepped-Up Aggression and the Search for New Security

Abstract

SOUTH KOREA The year 1968 was one of consternation and apprehension for South Korean people. Previous hopes for making it into the year of construction waned in light of aggressive posture of North Korea. The fear of another internecine war and subsequent search for new means of security occupied efforts of South Korean leaders, who have become increasingly apprehensive because they know little of North Korea's intentions and because they fear outcome of Vietnam peace negotiations in Paris. The settlement of Vietnam conflict is closely tied to problems of Korea's own defense and economic development. The possibility of a coalition government in South Vietnam and neutralization of area has frightened anti-Communist Korean leaders. Their apprehension was further aggravated by fear that new U.S. administration might drastically alter American policy toward Korea and that Korea might be left alone as a helpless orphan in Asia, product of a new U.S. isolationism. In visualizing 1968 as the year of construction, South Korean leaders were aiming at Korean leadership of Asian industrialization. The first year of Second Five-Year Plan (1967-1971) had just ended with an overall economic growth of 8.9% and a GNP of 1,245,100,000,000 won. Per capita GNP had increased from 9,985 won in 1960 to 41,806 w6n ($143) in 1967.1 The value of exports had exceeded $350 million, mostly from manufactured goods. Furthermore, nation's six-month political impasse over fraudulent June 1967 elections had finally ended on November 29, 1967. The normalization of political climate and end of major opposition party's boycott of National Assembly stirred new hope that 1968 would be another year of progress. South Koreans were shocked, therefore, when a 31-member North Korean commando team almost succeeded in assassinating President Park Chunghi on January 21, and when, three days later, U.S.S. Pueblo was seized by North Korea. The Northern regime claimed that ship had intruded