The North And South Korean Political Systems

Sung Chul Yang

Part 1 The Korean political heritage: a historical overview; political culture and traditions; nativistic resilience, nationalism, and beyond. Part 2 Contemporary political settings: politics of partition; ideology and the Korean experiments. Part 3 The North Korean political system - a totalitarian political order: the North Korean political framework; formal political structures and their evolution; the ruling elites and their political vicissitudes; Kim Il Sung's rise and retention of power. Part 3 The South Korean political system - a democratizing political order: the South Korean political framework; formal governmental structures and political process; the ruling elites and their modal characteristics; legitimacy crisis - from Rhee to Roh. Part 4 North and South Korean economic orientation - mobilization versus motivation: resource endowments and natural condition; economic systems, policies and strategies; performance in comparison. Part 5 Critical issues and problems: the seizure of power in North and South Korean politics; arms race and the twin fortifications of the Korean Peninsula; a socialist man versus a universal man - education in North and South Korean politics; reunification of policy models. Conclusion: North and South Korea as two living political laboratories.