New Right (South Korea)

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The New Right (Korean: 뉴라이트 nyulaiteu) movement in South Korean politics is a school of political thought which developed as a reaction against the traditional divide between conservatives (the "old right") and progressives. The New Right broke from past conservatives, who supported state intervention in the economy, by promoting neoliberal ideas. Many figures of the New Right have also become notable for criticising Anti-Japanese sentiment in South Korea.

History[]

Before the era of democratisation, South Korea had been ruled almost continuously by a series of dictatorships, such as those of Park Chung-hee and Chun Doo-hwan. These regimes were characterised by stringent anti-communism, authoritarianism, and state capitalism, and as a result these attributes came to be seen as hallmarks of the older generation of Korean conservatives. After 1987, following democratisation, conservatives adapted and modified their previous positions in order to counteract the rising successes of left-wing activism in South Korean politics.[1] For instance, the Democratic Justice Party pivoted away from authoritarianism under Roh Tae-woo, successor of Chun Doo-hwan, by promising that the election of 1987 would be fair and democratic.

Nonetheless, the conservative parties of the old style continued to hold a negative association with corruption of the past for many, and throughout the 1990s and into the early 2000s, progressivism characterised by support for social liberalism and a soft attitude towards North Korea became dominant in politics. As a result of this, a number of reform-minded right-wing groups known as the "New Right" developed in the 2000s as a reaction to the ascendency of these progressives, whose ideology they considered harmful. Like the old conservatives, they opposed left-wing economic policies and a soft attitude toward North Korea. However, they also attempted to distance themselves from the sins of the older right-wing, which they viewed as stagnant and out-of-touch. Describing themselves as "rational conservatives," these groups expressed a more flexible attitude towards North Korea through a willingness to recognise it as a separate country and to provide humanitarian aid for the citizens of North Korea. However, they balanced this with an anti-communist attitude and a support for free-market economic policies. They also rejected the totalitarianism of the past and placed an emphasis on civil rights and liberty; overall, their views were associated with classical liberalism.[1][2]

Initially, these "New Right" groups contained many figures connected to the traditional conservative establishment and as a result they struggled to differentiate themselves from old-school conservatives for a time.[2] This could be seen following the victory of conservative Lee Myung-bak in the 2007 presidential election; Lee's administration succeeded in replacing many progressive members of government-affiliated deliberative and advisory committees with members of "New Right" organisations. Lee's successor, Park Geun-hye (the eldest daughter of dictator Park Chung-hee), continued to maintain close relationships with these modern conservative social groups, even as her administration displayed an antagonistic attitude towards anti-government demonstrations and labor strikes.[3]

Policies[]

Historiography[]

One aspect of the New Right that has been highly notable is the recent production of historical studies by New Right-oriented academics which seek to oppose traditional Korean views of history. Some of these best-selling books argue against the overwhelmingly negative view of Imperial Japan and also dispute specific details about the comfort women discussion. Some of these authors also suggest that Japan helped Korea to modernise, both politically and economically.[4] Unsurprisingly, these positions have sparked intense debate in South Korean society.

Conservative education[]

Some well-known politicians from the "old right" GNP indicated commonality with the New Right groups, including Park Geun-hye endorse the anti-North Korean New Right's version of alternative Korean History textbooks through a foundation called Text Book Forum. The Lee Myung-bak government's Ministry of Education, Science and Technology has tried to implant the next Korean New Right version of Korean history textbook for the public school usage.[5] The NR's groups' demanding pressure to use their hawkish Korean history textbooks has eventually make them inconsistently incompatible with the dovish ethics textbooks.[6] New Right establishments also often oppose the left-leaning Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union.

Media[]

Organizations[]

Members[]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b Kim, Hanna; Cho, Heejung; Jeong, Bokgyo (2011-10-01). "Social Networks and Ideological Orientation of South Korean NGOs Involved in the Unification Issues of the Korean Peninsula". Asian Survey. 51 (5): 844–875. doi:10.1525/as.2011.51.5.844. ISSN 0004-4687.
  2. ^ a b Han, Yuna (2007). "The New Right: Political Winds in South Korea". Harvard International Review. 29 (1): 9–10. ISSN 0739-1854.
  3. ^ Kim, Sunhyuk; Jeong, Jong-Ho (2017). "Historical Development of Civil Society in Korea since 1987". Journal of International and Area Studies. 24 (2): 1–14. ISSN 1226-8550.
  4. ^ Yang, Myungji (2021-09-01). "The Specter of the Past: Reconstructing Conservative Historical Memory in South Korea". Politics & Society. 49 (3): 337–362. doi:10.1177/00323292211033082. ISSN 0032-3292.
  5. ^ Song (송), Yong-chang (용창) (2011-09-21). "뉴라이트 역사관 담아라" 현 정부 임기내에 밀어붙이기. Hankook Ilbo (in Korean). Archived from the original on 2011-09-21. Retrieved 2011-11-20.
  6. ^ Song (송), Hyeong-suk (현숙) (2011-11-16). 역사·도덕교과서 집필기준 ‘모순’. The Kyunghyang Shinmun (in Korean). Retrieved 2011-11-20.
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