Understanding Korean Politics: An Introduction (Suny Series in Korean Studies)

By Sng-hm Kil

Book Overview

Presents an indispensable survey of contemporary Korean politics.

Essential reading for anyone interested in contemporary Korea and East Asia, this book provides a comprehensive and balanced introduction to contemporary Korean politics. It explicates the great changes in South Korea, which has gone from being one of the poorest nations to a proud member of the Organization for Economic Development and Cooperation while making the transition to democracy. The work focuses on the geopolitical and cultural setting, historical evolution, institutional foundation, dynamics of political leadership, and political and administrative processes of Korean politics. It also features chapters on political determinants of the rise and decline of the Korean economy, foreign and unification policy of South Korea, and political development and decay in North Korea.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0791448908
• ISBN13: 9780791448908
• Release Date: June 2001
• Publisher: State University of New York Press
• Length: 376 Pages
• Weight: 0.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.0" x 9.1"
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

A very good read

This book is well written, informative, accessible, and provides a comprehensive picture of the big players in Korean politics over the last few decades, from the US Military to the dictators it supported to the institutional forces that destabilized that dictatorship and the popular mass movements that finally toppled it and have created a strong liberal democracy in its place. I recommend it to anyone interested in getting a handle on the basics of Korean politics and/or East Asian politics in general.