- Overview
-
We follow Korean modern history during which the Republic of Korea was founded and think about democracy.
- Book Intro
-
Korea was founded in 1948 and Koreans knew democracy only after liberation. Did the Korean democracy accept the American democracy as it was? This book overturns such common notions of the Korean democracy based on historical materials, and the acts and fulfilment of historical figures.
The question, what kind of country is Korea? comes up constantly in our society because of the controversy over Foundation Day and the conflicts over history textbooks. The author believes that to answer this question, we have to find the meaning of Article 1 of the Constitution established in history, The Republic of Korea shall be a democratic republic. It looks at the process of how the words of Daehan (Korea), Minguk (a democratic republic), democracy and republic appeared and the meaning thereof and looks for the roots of our democracy in the history from the 1850s to the official establishment of the Korean government in 1948.
This book starts with a conversation between Hong Young-sik who looked around the world as a member of the first diplomatic mission and King Gojong about the democratic identity and ends by looking at the meaning of the Constitution in 1948. It also tells us vividly when and how our democracy began, and what is the meaning of a democratic republic Koreans created and fought for in history.
- About the Author
-
Kim Yughun
Kim Yughun graduated from Seoul National University with a degree in History Education and teaches history to middle and high school students. He worked as the president of the Association of Korean History Teachers for 4 years. Now, he is the director of the History Education Institute. Kim participated several times in writing middle and high school textbooks. He supports the creation of citizens in democratic republics and explores curriculums of history education and alternatives to textbooks while putting such contemplations into practice. He has co-authored the Textbook of Living Korean History, Textbook of Living World History, Korean History for International Readers, Ask Questions about a National History Textbook on the Street and the series of World History Reading for the First Time with other teachers and has written Textbook of Living Modern Korean History and Birth of the Democratic Republic of Korea.
- Award
-
- Recommendation
-
- Selection
-
- Bestseller Rank
-
