EDUCATION AND DEMOCRATIC DEVELOPMENT IN SOUTH KOREA (1950s -1987)

Abstract

This research aimed 1) to examine the objectives and content of the education in South Korea 2) to analyze how the education has effected democratic development. Most of the data in this research is descriptive secondary academic data. Therefore, the research includes information from books, previous studies, journals, information from the Internet with reliable sources and statistical data. After, Korean peninsula was divided into two parts, South Korea was under the control of The U.S. This is the significant factor that influenced the different ideology of North and South Korea in politics. After Korean War the goal of the educational program at that time was to provide an educated workforce in the economy. Economic growth caused social changes, expanding of education, and middle class. Even economy at that time was growing, South Korea was still under dictatorial government which created dissatisfaction especially among educated people. This resulted in political movement that led by students. The formation of student movement had propelled South Korea to become democratic country with the following reasons. Firstly, the progressive ideas of the students. Secondly, the student movement sparked the demand for the democracy in South Korea. In 1987, military government could not resist people's power crying for democracy and this brought the end of long last dictatorial government in South Korea.