As we have discussed some analytical terms, with regards to democratic condition, previously, now let us refocus on the what has been nature authoritarianism in South Korean politics before 1987. Obviously, here, you gotta make distinction between the two, soft authoritarianism and hard authoritarianism. And in South Korea usually Isyman period is defined as a soft authoritarianism, whereas the Park Chung-hee period is termed as the hard authoritarianism, Whereas the Park Chung-hee periodis termed as the hard authoritarianism, particularly Park Chung-hee period after 1972, the Yushin constitution. Usually, hard and soft through really refers to degree of repression in society. Degree in which the state security apparatus has been mobilized in suppressing citizen protest. That means what the Isyman period was much milder. And the political system was, electoral system, was in for operation, okay. There was a pattern of monopolism no matter how distorted. But in the case of Park Chun-hee period's particular Yushin regime in 1972, okay, depression was hard and electoral system was completely distorted, okay. And electoral system was fundamentally flawed. That is why we called Park Chung-hee period as hard authoritarianism. Let us go back to Park Chung-hee period. We talked about before, but actually was a Major General in the Korean army. And he staged a military coup in 1961. And then in 1963 he transferred political power to civilians. However, he ran for Presidency, and he became the President of the old Korea, in the 3rd republic. And in 1969, he undertook the constitutional amendments and there was about changing presidential time because apparently at that time only two term presidency. Four-year two-term presidency was allowed, but he change it. And new constitution allowed him to run for the third term presidency, okay. But what was really tragic was in 1972. He just declared martial law, and then he declared a new constitution called the Yushin constitution, okay? In accordance with the Yushin constitution, direct election of president was abolished and the president was supposed to be elected indirectly by the so called electoral policy called the Yujong Hwang. Of course, members is members of Yujong society or appointed by president Park himself, okay? And also during Yushin regime period, there was a repressed rule by emergence decrees. And there were arrests of 5238 political activists during the Yushin period. But later, in 1979, October 1979, Park Chung was assassinated by his confidant. Then director of CIA Kim Jae Gyu, okay. If you look at this pattern is rule in 17 to 18 years you can clearly see his rule, no matter how successful he was in steering economic growth and modernization. He left a very negative legacy of authoritarian rule. Now you can see that 1979, martial law was declared, and military was mobilized to suppress the citizens. Entire Seoul city was controlled by these martial law forces. Chun Doo-hwan is a very interesting case too. Okay, then October 26, 1979, President Park was assassinated and there was a power vacuum but at that time Chun Doo-hwan, then major general of the Korean army was a Commander of National Defense Security Command. And he was appointed as chief of investigation of the SS nation of park Chung Hee, okay? And then he realized that there was some kinds of collaboration between the assassin Kim Dae-jung and the Army Chief of Staff of the Korean Army Chung Su Wan. And then he began to arrest these old Generals including Chun Doo-hwan. And December 12, 1979 he literally staged the mutiny, okay. And then in May 1980, he staged the quasi-military coup, okay. And then as you all know that the Gwangju Uprising, the Gwangju Uprising citizens war really, violently suppressed by the martial law forces, okay. And then in October 1980, there was a constitutional amendment. Constitutional amendment also involved what, seven year, one term presidency and indirect election of the president by electoral college. And obviously one-third of the great majority of electoral college was appointed by Chun Doo-hwan, okay. And obviously there was a continuation of repressed rule by Anti-communist Law, National Security Act, Law on the Purification of Political Activities, and Social Protection Law. And all together 12,039 political activists were arrested throughout the Chun Doo-hwan reign, okay. Now here, you can clearly see that the citizens begin to stage their political protest and protesting violence, oppression, of Gwangju Uprising. At the same time, military coup by Chun Doo-hwan. thousands of students. And he is Major General Chun Doo-hwan, when he was Chief of Investigation of the assassination of Park Chung-hee. And he is very interesting. He was Major General in 1979 but 1980, he became four-star General in less that one year and then he became President. But let us really talk about in the transitional dynamics and let us go back to January and between January and June 1987 that was a really critical period. But there was some signs of the weakened political foundation of Chun Doo-hwan regime. That was despite the government and the press and political manipulation ruling party was defeated in 1985 general election, okay? And then starting from January, because 1987 is the last year of six year term in a presidency, okay? Therefore, there was ongoing debate on constitution, therefore, there was a vested interest in conservative hardliners argued that they should make perturbation of the pre-existing constitution. And in what, in the election, six year term. But on the other hand, the civil society as a whole called for a direct election of president. Therefore, they called for the constitutional amendment, okay. And then, still many times students protest were really violent, okay. And it's more so because of some, unlawful act by the police, okay. For example, in January of 1987, Park Jongcheol, then student of Seoul National University, was tortured to death by the police, okay? And then Lee Hanyeol, student of Yonsei University, was again put to death by police tear gas shell in May 1987. In fact, particularly the death of Lee Hanyeol really triggered major citizen protest in the months of June. But prior to that in April, it was rumored that Chun Doo-hwan wanted to really preach up the constitution. And in order to deal with student and citizen protest, he was thinking about declaring marshal law. And Secretary of State of United States, George Shultz visits Seoul and obviously United States played a role in preventing Chun Doo-hwan from declaring marshal law. But anyhow, after detecting the kinds of moves by Chun Doo-hwan and his confidants, the citizens began to show much more violent protests against government, particularly what is memorable was in a massive civil protest on June 10th 1987. The entire students and citizens filled the street from the Seoul Station all the way to Kwan Ha Moon area. It's the largest turnover of the citizens protesting against a Chun Doo-hwan government. Another very interesting pattern was this, you could have seen the latter in photographs or whatever, white collar workers with neckties on, they began to join the student protest. Middle class, even housewives, who used to be very silent about politics, they broke the silence and joined the young student protest and chanting, down with the Chun Doo-hwan government. That was real change, okay? And the young fellow. And also there is citizen particularly the parents of students who were killed by the Chun Doo-hwan regime, they took in the street demonstrations. This is Ehan Ja and also you can see that various scenes in the June of 1987 in that there was a really fierce protest by students. Then, In the first half of June 1987,entire country was in turmoil, okay? Citizen protests were on the rise, okay? Then, Roh Tae-woo was heir apparent to Chun Doo-hwan, okay? Also Korean Military Academy classmate, announced the support June 29th in a declaration, okay, which was kind of consensus ruling elite, okay. This gentlemen is Roh Tae-woo, okay. He later become president, okay. But June 29th declaration has very significant meaning in the Korean democratic history, okay. Because at that time, declaration was composed of eight items. First, constitutional amendment for direct presidential election. Free and fair elections. Release and amnesty of political prisoners, including Kim Dae-jung. Respect for human rights and human dignity. Promotion of local autonomy, freedom of press, the creation of new political climate for dialog and reconciliation. And, social reforms. Obviously, as we discussed, there was kind of leadership choice, for compromising. Okay, instead of a really unilaterally suppressing citizen protest, the Chun Doo-hwan regime came up with some kind of compromise, okay, to accommodate some of citizen demand. But in this case in the case of June 29th declaration, the accommodation was quite sweeping. And that was really opening up democratic change in South Korea, okay? Because afterwards there was a national referendum on constitutional amendment in October, 1987. And there was a Presidential election in December, 1987 reflecting in the constitutional amendment. Turn to at that time, Roh Tae-woo won the election by very small margin because at that time opposition party was divided. Kim Young-sam ran for the President and Kim Dae-jung ran for the President, Kim Jong-pil ran for the President, therefore, opposition was divided by these three camps. Present, and Roh Tae-woo won the election by leading about 37% of the votes. Therefore, it was really, he won the election really by a narrow margin. But anyhow, this signaled beginning of democratic transition in South Korea.
