Role of the United States in South Korea's Democratization

Abstract

A LTHOUGH THE ROLE OF THE UNITED STATES in Japan's democratization has been extensively studied, its similar role in Korea has seldom been examined. It is probable that other American involvements in Korean affairs -as in the Korean War, the maintenance of military security, economic rehabilitation, or the Pueblo incident-have demanded a higher priority of attention. These involvements alone, however, do not constitute the total, or the more lasting, picture of the U. S. role in Korea. There has been a less visible but possibly more significant side of the role. This article attempts illuminate some aspects of the U.S. role in establishing and, a limited degree, maintaining the basic political orientation of South Korea for the first twenty years since the establishment in I948 of the Republic of Korea. The overall American influence in the Korean democratization would be undeniable anyone who asks what would have happened if South Korea had been occupied by a different power after the Second World War. The situation in North Korea suggests the most obvious answer. Further, it is undeniable that the Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers (SCAP), and the United States Army military government in Korea that functioned under the general supervision of SCAP, were pursuing a deliberate policy of democratizing such occupied countries as Japan and Korea. Parts of the document on the United States Initial Post-Surrender Policy for Japan' and numerous pronouncements including those by the Assistant Secretary of State for Occupied Areas (who was specifically charged with coordinating all policy matters for occupied areas), leave little doubt as the U.S. policy orientation. According one pronouncement, the basic objective of American policy with respect occupied areas, including Japan and Korea, was to create conditions under which political and economic democracy can flourish.... Formuulation of the political pattern upon which the foundation may be laid for developing occupied countries on democratic principle is privilege and responsibility of the first order.2 The most obvious problem of the political independence of Korea was disposed of by August I948 with the establishment of the independent Republic