Koreas Saemaul Undong: Social Structure and the Role of Government in Integrated Rural Development

Abstract

This is an attempt to analyze the role of government in integrated rural development. With limited

data available thus far, Korea's Saemaul Undong is examined as an example of integrated rural

development. In its ideals, this movement indeed represents a model of integrated rural development program. Yet, in its implementation, Korean government has taken a leading role, first initiating it and later supporting it in financial and technical assistance terms. This paper argues that the role of government has become almost ubiquitously significant in today's world, whether ill the more or less developed parts of the globe. In the case of Korea, the structural features, primarily traditional in its origin, have made it more feasible, if not entirely inevitable, for government to take an active role in this respect. By examining the first few years of results of this movement, which in quantitative terms is an outstanding success, this paper tries to show some crucial structural issues that need to be considered very seriously in order for the movement to continue its success and to become an excellent model of ideally integrated rural development.