- Overview
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This book asks and answers the questions, "What is a country?" and "What type of country is Korea?" by looking back at Korea's turbulent journey in modern history.
- Book Intro
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This book searches out the historical background to many political and social problems Korean society is facing today, particularly the pains a common citizen faces in the context of international politics. The writer divides the reality of Korea into three frames. The first frame is the fundamental tasks of modern and contemporary Korea. Korea's modernization was initially led by pro-Japanese groups, due to the failure of establishing a democratic, independent nation. After liberation, these groups became pro-American, giving up on unification and maintaining the status quo. The second frame is the Republic of Korea's state ideology. In particular, South Korea became a "country created by people from the North" following the Sinchon Massacre of October 1950 in Hwanghae Province and an anti-communist strain of Christianity became the national religion. The last frame is the characteristics of modern Korea. Korea was modernized under the influence of external forces and the pressures of division. As a result, the economy improved but it became only a half country without any ideals or hope. The writer connects the past and present, revealing the essence of pro-Japanese, pro-American, anti-communist and growth forces that led Korea through the three frames of reference. This is not a history book written to fit established theories of modernization, but a first-of-its-kind modernization theory re-written on top of modern and contemporary Korean history.
- About the Author
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Kim Dongchoon
Kim Dongchoon (M) was born in Yeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, in 1959. He graduated from the College of Education at Seoul National University and later received a PhD in Sociology from the Graduate School of the same university. He was previously an editor for Historical Criticism and Economics and Society, a director of the Institute for Participatory Society , and a standing member of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. He was selected by Hankyoreh newspaper as one of the "top 100 people who will open the future of Korea" in 2004 and he received the 20th Danjae Award in 2006. At present, he is a professor at the College of Social Sciences, Sungkonghoe University, and an editorial advisory member for the Hwanghae Review.