Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ruling regime would be highly unlikely to hasten its own demise by pitting an aging
army against superior opposing forces.
Whether the security situation on the peninsula worries you or not, be sure to re-
gister with your embassy when you arrive in South Korea. Many embassies make
efforts to keep their nationals briefed on any major developments and to advise on
courses of action or even arrange evacuation in the event of serious trouble. After
that, take your cue from the locals, whom you'll soon notice rarely get worked up
about acts by their northern neighbor that have the rest of the world wringing its
hands.
South Korea's first president, Syngman Rhee, was an autocratic figure who pursued a policy
of close relations with the United States, which maintained a military presence in the coun-
try after the war. He dealt ruthlessly with any perceived challenges or expressions of dis-
content, arresting dissidents and crushing leftist and student uprisings, which the govern-
ment viewed as tantamount to support for North Korea. By 1960, outrage at Rhee's heavy-
handedness had boiled over, and the violent suppression of a protest in the port town of
Masan sparked nationwide riots that eventually forced Rhee to resign and flee into exile in
the United States.
New elections propelled Rhee's former foes into power. The Democratic Party took
a more relaxed view of student and union activities and, in response to public demand,
launched a purge of police and military officials involved in crackdowns under the Rhee
administration. But that proved too much for some military officers, who in 1961 launched
a coup led by major general Park Chung-hee. There was little resistance to the overthrow of
the civilian administration, which was consumed with infighting and had done little to ad-
dress the country's dire poverty. By contrast, Park, who won elections staged in 1963, made
the economy and national development his main priority. Park continued South Korea's tra-
dition of dictatorial leadership and has a controversial legacy, but he is generally regarded
as the father of Korean industry. The government provided billions of dollars in support to
export businesses, infrastructure, and factories, prompting a massive shift in the population
from the countryside to major cities and from farming to activities like mining and manu-
facturing.
Park survived protests, threats to his rule, and even botched attempts on his life by North
Korean agents, but he was assassinated in 1979 by his own chief of intelligence. Park's
