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ETD Abstract Container

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Sport, Politics and the New Nation: Sport Policy in the Republic of Korea (1961-1992)

Kim, Bang-Chool
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1394726601

Abstract Details

2001, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, EDU Policy and Leadership.
The dramatic development of Korean sport in post-colonial era leading up to 1988 Seoul Olympic was in large part politically-motivated. Politics and sport were related by the government's aspirations to boost confidence in the nation, both at home and abroad. Although politics and sport reciprocally influence each other, politics had a powerful influence on sport by establishing policy that defines national sporting goals and by allocating resources to develop human talent. The political intentions imposed on sport were manifested in two critical ways. First, politicians used sport for its symbolic propaganda effect of enhancing Korea's image nationally and internationally. Second, sport was employed as means to bind people under the cause of national unity. The Republic of Korea was a military government lacking in democratic institutions so propaganda was important to seal the public's loyalty to the totalitarian regime. This study examines the sport-politics-government linkage in Korea during three different time periods: 1) from the military coup of General Jung-Hee Park in 1961 to during the administration of President Park Chung Hee (1961 - 1979); 2) the adminstration of President Chun Doo Hwan and the 1988 Seoul Olympic games (1980 -1988); and 3) Post-Seoul Olympics: Democracy, Maturation of Modern Sport (1989 -1992). This study ends in 1993 because the state-society relations in Korea were substantially altered with the emergence of the civilian government in 1993. I draw on a wide variety of primary and secondary sources used in historical research to construct my narrative and analysis. These include historical works on Korea; historical, political and sociological works on sport in Korea, western country and Japan; Korean newspapers (I looked at three of the Korea daily newspapers Dong-A Il bo, Chosun Il bo, Hanguk Il bo); a wide variety of Korean magazines on sport and popular culture; government documents on sport and physical education; documents of sporting organizations, such as KASA; and, interviews with individuals involved in making sporting policy during the period under investigation. I argue that emphasis on symbolic propaganda and national unity was done at expense of developing sports programs for the people, i.e. participatory sports. Instead what was created was a mirage of national progress at the expense of the people. It was an elite sport system that few common people could access, but placated their desire for mass entertainment. It was sort of an Orwellian turn of events. The people were satisfied with sport achievements. The politicians were satisfied with a national following. Only the people didn't realize they were victims of political mass manipulation. Sports only diverted their minds from more truly important matters of national development.
Melvin L. Adelman (Advisor)
Seymour Kleinman (Committee Member)
William D. Taylor (Committee Member)
285 p.
Education; Education Policy; Physical Education

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Kim, B.-C. (2001). Sport, Politics and the New Nation: Sport Policy in the Republic of Korea (1961-1992) [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1394726601

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Kim, Bang-Chool. Sport, Politics and the New Nation: Sport Policy in the Republic of Korea (1961-1992). 2001. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1394726601.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Kim, Bang-Chool. "Sport, Politics and the New Nation: Sport Policy in the Republic of Korea (1961-1992)." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2001. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1394726601

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1394726601
422
© 2001, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.