A revolutionary change has been made in south Korean politics. In January 1990, president Roh Tae Woo and the two opposition leaders, Kim Young Sam and Kim Jong Pil, jointly announced the creation of a new governing party, the Liberal Democratic Party, thus leaving the largest opposition party, led by Kim Dae Jung, in isolation. The author explores the background of the epoch-making political change in south Korea and examine its future implications for the country's democracy and economic development in the 1990s. In South Korea political development was deliberately hindered for the sake of its impressive economic development. Mainly due to this imbalance it experienced political radicalization unprecedented in its history.
Democratic transition includes changes both in political behaviour and institutional reform.
Korea has compeleted the change of its legal and structural framework. And in the long run a Korean form of democracy will emerge. Its culture and tradition is deeply rooted in Confucianism whose traditional cultural values are slowly changing. The author concludes that democratization of a backward political system is possible without violent revolution. Part 1 provides an overview of the political events up till the presidential election 1987.