ONLINE: Korean Politics in a Globalizing World - Einzelansicht

Korean Politics in a Globalizing World

Time: 12:00-14:00 on Wednesdays

Place: Online

Instructor: Prof Dr Sangtu Ko, Yonsei University, South Korea (stko@yonsei.ac.kr)

Teaching assistant: Ms Hyewon SEO, zielscan@yonsei.ac.kr

Course Description:

South Korea is a country of miracles. It succeeded in the rapid economic development and transition from authoritarian rule and is pursuing national unification. This course deals with Korea's specific agendas such as industrialization, democratization, and reunification. We will first review what role the government played in South Korea's rapid economic development. We will then look at democratic transition and consolidation by surveying the political institutions, culture, ideology that shape South Korean democracy. We will also cover some issues on North Korea, from the Korean peninsula's division to the North Korean nuclear problem.

Basic readings

Charles Armstrong (ed.), Korean Society (London: Routledge, 2007)

Geir Helgesen, Democracy and Authority in Korea (London: Routledge, 2013)

Samuel Kim (ed.), Korea's Democratization (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003)

Don Oberdorfer, The Two Koreas: A Contemporary History (New York: Basic Books, 2002)

Korean newspaper website

progressive Hankyoreh: http://english.hani.co.kr

conservative Chosun: http://english.chosun.com

moderate JoongAng: http://joongangdaily.joins.com,

moderate Korea Herald: http://www.koreaherald.co.kr

Course schedule

1. 20. 10. 2021

Introduction & Assignment of students presentation

1. 27. 10. 2021 (Instructor's presentation)

Industrialization: Developmental state 

1. 03. 11. 2021 (Instructor's presentation)

Democratization: Democratic transition

1. 10. 11. 2021 (Instructor's presentation)

Unification: Division and war

1. 17. 11. 2021 (Student's presentation)

Political system: Strong and unhappy Presidents

1. 24. 11. 2021 (Student's presentation)

Political culture: Confucian democracy

1. 01. 12. 2021 (Student's presentation)

Political identity: Nationalism of the devided nation

1. 08. 12. 2021 (Student's presentation)

Political idelology: Anti-Americanism in the US military ally

1. 15. 12. 2021 (Student's presentation)

From receiving to giving country: ODA and PKO

1. 05. 01. 2022 (Student's presentation)

How to solve North Korean nuclear Problem

1. 12. 01. 2022 (Student's presentation)

Controversy on Sunshine Policy towards North Korea

1. 19. 01. 2022 (Student's presentation)

South Korea's Nordpolitik towards Russia and China

13        26. 01. 2022 (Student's presentation)

EU and South Korea: Economic partner or strategic partner?

14        02. 02. 2022 (Student's presentation)

South Korea between security ally US and economic partner China

15        09. 02. 2022 (Supplementary week)