Democracy at stake, Economy in crisis, Security at risk

Joseph H. Chung, Ph.D (정희수) Professor of economics, Quebec University in Quebec (UQAM)

Introduction

The political history of a country has been the fight between the "have yes" and " have no", between the strong and the weak and between the elite group and the ordinary people.

Humanity has tried to solve this fight through peaceful relations with little success. More frequent solution has been massive uprisings, bloodless civil wars and bloody revolutions.

The political history of South Korea has been the fight between the elite pro-Japan conservative force (PJCF) (Chin-il-pa 普守親日派) and the progressive liberal nationalist force (PLNF) (jin-bo-ae-guk-se-ryok (?步愛國派).

The PJCF-PLNF fight has been continuing since 1945, the year of Korea's liberation from the Japanese colonialism. Up to now, the fight has had cyclical variations and neither force has received fatal blow.

However, since the PJCF took over the power this year (May 9, 2022), the fight has become more aggressive and its outcome may have serous impacts not only on the survival of South Korea as a genuinely democratic country but also on the dynamics of regional economy and regional security.

This paper intends to examine the evolution of current PJCF-PLNF battle, the nature of the fight and its possible impacts. There will be a short conclusion.

1. Evolution of PJCF-PLNF Fight

The Western media treats South Korea as one country, but in reality, there are two South Koreas, one for the PJCF and, the other, the PLNF. Each has different way of looking at Korea and different role it has to play in Korean collective life.

Of course, there are those who are neutral and take side depending upon the policies of the two organized forces. At present, the political distribution of the South Korean population is as follows: the PJCF (30%), the PLNF (40%) and the neutral (30%).

The PJCF-PLNF fight has had the following periods of evolution: 1910-1945, 1948-1987, 1987-1998, 1998-2008 2008-2017 and 2017-2022, 2022-present.

?2010-1945: Period of Japanese occupation in Korea and the formation of PJCF and PLNF.

The Japanese brutal and illegal occupation of Korea had the tragic footprint of dividing Koreans between the pro-Japan force and the anti-Japan force.

Many Koreans had to work to survive under the Japanese colonial government. But, there were those who more than worked for the Japanese; they actively participated with Japanese masters in the terrible crimes of oppressing and exploiting Koreans. These Koreans were regarded by other Koreans as "traitors".

The traitors participated in the theft of lands, houses and other assets belonging to Koreans.

They participated in capturing more than 250,000 teen age Korean girls to be sent to the horrible military Comfort Women camps to be raped more than 20 times a day by Japanese soldiers during the entire duration.

They also collaborated in mobilizing 800,000 Korean workers to work as slaves in Japanese mines and factories under less than sub-human living conditions.

They helped for the conscription of a huge number of Korean youth to be sent to the frontline to kill Korean patriots.

Even worse, these traitors actively helped in killing Korean identity. Koreans were forced to throw away Korean names and adopt a Japanese name. My family had a Japanese name. At schools, it was forbidden to speak Korean language. Koreans were forced to go to Shinto shrines every day. At schools, the history of Korea was forbidden to teach. The whole process of uprooting the Korean identity was to enslave Koreans. Even the Korean native trees were to be replaced by Japanese trees.

Under these conditions, the Korean population was sharply divided between the pro-Japan group which became later the PJCF and the anti-Japan group which became later the PLNF. This was the beginning of a century-old fight between these two political forces in South Korea.

?1948-1987: Period of PJCF governments of Rhee Syngman (1948-1960), Park Chung-hee (1962-1979) and Chun Doo-hwan (1980-1987)

This period was the darkest Korean post-war history of brutal police dictatorship and military dictatorship under which South Korans had to go through violent human right violation and suffering from fear and insecurity.

In 1945, Korea was liberated from the Japanese yoke. People filled streets, singing, dancing and shouting "Long Live Korea!"

The priority in the mind of Koreans was the punishment of the traitors. But, to the dismay of Koreans, the traitors were welcomed by the US military government (1945-1948) and, in fact, they ruled Korea for the American interests.

In 1948, Rhee Syngman established the first civil government after the departure of the American military government. He was elected after assassinating Kim Gu, the president of the Korean Provisional Government along with other nationalists.

In 1962, General Park Chung-hee took power after a coup-d'etat and ruled South Korea until 1979. Then, in 1980, General Chun-Doo-hwan snatched the power through another coup-d'etat.

These three presidents had several things in common.

First, they took power by force or by rigged election: Rhee Syngman by rigged election and, both Generals Park Chung-hee and Chun Doo-hwan by coup d'etat.

Second, they ruled with force and violence: Rhee Syngman by police dictatorship and the two generals by military dictatorship. This is explained by the lack of legitimacy of their government which made it impossible for them to take power in legitimate way.

Third, being denied by the Koreans, they felt insecure and, to protect themselves, they formed a tight knit community. Now, to maintain the community, they decided to cumulate money and assets by all means including immoral and illegal ways. This has led to the creation of corruption community and corruption culture. (다음 호에 계속)

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