National security ensures development

KIPA President Park Eung-kyuk

By Jung Sung-ki

Korea’s strenuous efforts to beef up its defense readiness and public order over the last six decades have served as a springboard for the country’s remarkable social and economic development, a public administration expert said recently.

“The Korean War devastated the country and that was one of the worst tragedies. But the war also provided South Korea with the opportunity to recognize the importance of national security and build up its own military power based on the Korea-U.S.

alliance,” Park Eung-kyuk, president of the Korea Institute of Public Administration (KIPA), said in an interview with The Korea Times.

Korea’s brilliant economic development was possible because of such efforts on national security, Park said, adding that was one of the “Korean development models” to be taught to developing countries, or “non-G20” states.

KIPA will hold an international conference on Korean development models Oct. 21 at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Seoul.

The institute is a think tank affiliated with the Prime Minister’s Office.

At the one-day seminar to be co-hosted by The Korea Times, scores of domestic and foreign experts on administrative affairs as well as ambassadors and students from non- G20 countries will discuss how Korea overcame national crises and turned itself into one of the world’s leading economies successfully.

“I want to say there are ‘steps’ or ‘conditions,’ not actually ‘models,’ for the development of Korea,” said Park. “In that context, national security and public order are the first steps for social and economic development.

On the basis of that, social and business cultures can grow.” The fast learning curve of the Korean military created positive spin in Korean society by promoting the “team spirit” culture, the expert said.

“The Korean military learned advanced military administrative affairs from the United States and their effectiveness faster than any other militaries in the world,” he said. “Under a mandatory conscription system, Korean young men have valuable opportunities to learn organizational culture and establish a proper national view.” Other factors in Korean development include the leadership of the government and political stability; the growth of civic and business cultures; a sense of noblesse oblige; a “can-do spirit”; the enthusiasm for education; and national character of working hard, according to Park.

Korea’s friendly ties with the United States and other nations, built on contributions to the international community and business activities overseas, have also helped put the country on the global map, he noted.

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