|
EAI Column
South Korea as a Beacon of Asian Democracy
Hong-koo Lee, Former Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea
|
| |
|
|
|
|
"Defending Democracy against All Odds: How South Korea Maintained Democracy" |
While recent discussions on the Korean Peninsula tend to focus overwhelmingly on security issues due to the rising nuclear and missile threats from North Korea, year 2017 marks the 30th anniversary of the beginning of the 1987 June Democratization Movement against the military dictatorship in South Korea. It is important not to overlook the role that South Korea plays in the region, shining as a beacon of hope for democracy in Asia in spite of its belligerent neighbor. Former Prime Minister Hong-koo Lee emphasizes that South Koreans’ unequivocal trust in constitutionalism and commitment to the international community contributed to nurturing the birth of a democracy-centered outlook in the country. Lee posits positively that the case of South Korean democracy demonstrates that Asians can make Asia a model for successful democracy. This column was originally presented at the Asia Democracy Research Network Seoul Forum held in August 2017.
 
|
|
