The Role of Civil Protest in the Consolidation of Democracy in South Korea, 1960 to 1993

This book has analyzed the participation of various classes in civil protests, such as students, laborers and the working class, the middle class, women, and religious organizations. Their common goals for protesting were human and civil rights, democratization, free foreign policy, and reunification of the Korean peninsula. The main civil protests were those of April 19, 1960, to protest against Park Chung-hee, the civil protests of May 1980, and the protests of June 1987.

This book compares the role of people’s protest with that of external factors (e.g., the role of the US) and the Church’s position, with reference to the third wave of democracy. It also talks about the process and achievements of civil protests, such as establishing laws and framing the constitution. In conclusion, this book shows the leading role of protest movements in a working democracy.

This book will help college students, research scholars and people who are interested in South Korean political history and democracy.