THE CHUN DOO-HWAN GOVERNMENT

In August 1980, less than one year after he was elected, President Ch'oe resigned. Later that month, after resigning from the military, Chun Doo-hwan was elected president. For all practical purposes, this was just a formality as he had effectively held power since the Kwangju in­cident. After a new constitution was adopted in October 1980, Chun was reelected and sworn in for a seven-year term on 3 March 1981. Some of the new faces in government were military per­sonnel, many from President Chun's class ('55) at the Korean Military Academy. Even though he had been elected according to law, because of his involvement in the Kwangju incident, many Koreans seriously questioned Chun's legitima­cy. Yet his government was legitimized in the eyes of the U.S. government (and undoubtedly by many nations of the world) when he became the first foreign leader to pay an official visit to the newly elected U.S. president, Ronald Rea­gan. In 1984, following the Nakasone visit to Seoul the year before, Chun also became the first Korean president to make an official visit to Tokyo.

President Chun promised to usher in a "New Era, New Order." Martial law was rescinded in January 1981, and one year later the 2400­0400 curfew that had been in effect since 1961 was finally lifted. Political activity resumed, though watered down. Amnesty was granted to most imprisoned demonstrators, and the right of political involvement was reinstated to many who had previously been barred from political activity. After a period of strict censorship, news­papers and magazines were freed of many restrictions and agreed to self-censorship; radio and television, however, carne under tighter government controls. The new era encouraged the expansion of cultural activities and spon­sored the restoration and preservation of cul­tural sites. Although the presidency had a rocky start, it reached stability. Koreans began to be­lieve in their country again, and the economy boomed. With more and better-quality goods available and with their wages higher, Koreans became more consumer-conscious. For the first time, Korea recorded a surplus in its balance of trade.

However, not everything has been rosy: political equity, social rights, civil liberties, and labor concerns have taken a back seat. A great disparity of wealth continues, though the last two decades have produced a large and edu­cated middle class that is beginning to voice its demands. Frequent student demonstrations and labor strikes have brought about minor changes. Much protest is still countered by riot police-green versions of Darth Vader. Since the Kwangju incident, anti-Americanism has risen dramatically among the student population. This twist to the usual opposition voice will add a new dimension to domestic and interna­tional politics. Despite the trappings of democracy, real power is still concentrated in the hands of the president.

President Chun promised to step down in 1988 after his one term in office to follow con­stitutionallaw and allow for modern Korea's first peaceful transfer of power. In the summer of 1987, majority party candidate Rho Tae-woo abruptly changed the party's stance and offered to rewrite the constitution and hold presidential elections by direct vote rather than by electoral college. Revision of the constitution was ac­complished bilaterally and approved by nation­al referendum in the fall of that year. Elections were held in November, the first direct vote for president in 16 years. Rho ran against Kim Young-sam, the main opposition party's candi­date, and Kim Dae Jung, the major opposition figure. Unwilling to unite behind one candidate, Kim Young-sam and Kim Dae Jung split the op­position, and Rho won with 37% of the popular vote. While there was scattered violence and some accusations of fraud, the election seems to have been fair and valid. On 25 February 1988, Rho was sworn in as president while riot­ers once again filled the streets. His term limit under the rewritten constitution was five years.