To the Question of the Ideological Roots of Park Chung Hee’s Socio-political Views (1961-1979)

Abstract

This article analyzes the sources of South Korean President Park Chung Hee’s ideas of 1960-1970s. Park Chung Hee guided South Korea’s modernization and tried to create a state ideology that justified his political course. The evolution of this ideology was determined not only by the situation on the Korean Peninsula but also by Park’s personal views. His political views had a great influence on important political decisions in the country. The article reveals the basic roots of Park Chung Hee’s views. We analyzed the influence of Confucianism, ideas and experience of Meiji Japan and policy of Japanese militarism, North Korean Juche ideology. Park’s worldview was not monolithic, but composed of different ideas and influences. His ideas about state and society were influenced by Confucian concepts. Park being a Japanese trained officer was deeply influenced by Japanese colonial and military legacies. He borrowed many slogans and aspects of economic policy from Japan. Comparing himself with Meiji Japan’s modernizers Park Chung Hee was a Korean nationalist. He intended to build a militarily and economically developed state led by a strong leader. Park remolded his soft authoritarian regime into a unlimited dictatorship (Yushin) in 1972. His ideal of state had a lot of similarities with regime of Kim II Sung in North Korea.