Contesting the Peninsula

In: New left review: NLR, Issue 51, p. 115-135

Abstract

Examines the implications of the landslide victory of Lee Myung-bak in the 19 Dec 2007 presidential elections in South Korea. The historically low turnout for the election & Lee's rapid loss of support following his inauguration & the allegations of corruption that immediately plagued his presidency are explored. The political context in which Lee now struggles is analyzed in the context of a shift in left-right politics, public protests against the dictatorships of the 1970s-1980s & the rise of the democracy movement, the economic crisis of the late 1990s, & the aftermath of a decade of rule by the center-left wing. Lasting contradictions in South Korean politics are identified, & argued to be reflected in shifting attitudes & relations toward the US. Adapted from the source document.