민주당 정권기 국토건설사업의 추진과정 = The Propulsion process of the National Development Project during the Democratic Party

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

The Democratic party developed its policy in the way of accepting the people`s economic desire partially under the situation where need for economic construction and economic democratization flared up during the period impacted by the April revolution. Democratic party`s policy about that came true concrete national development project. The contents and the appropriation for the project was changed several times over the short term. However, there was no fundamental change in terms of the small project to have focused on unemployment relief for short term period. The leaders for the national development project were Kim Youngseon in a ‘new faction’ of the democratic party, Joo Yohan and the Sasanggye group. They can be described as a private-led economic development group that laid stress on capital accumulation with the influx of foreign capital and priority funding for labor-intensive light industry. Meanwhile there was a representative theorist, Park Dongmyo, who was critical of the national development project by the Democratic party. He pointed out that the national development project was not comprehensive national development program and public works alone could not solve the unemployment problem in reality. Namely, his critique means industrialization must absorb the unemployed workers and then only can figure out structural unemployment. Democratic party selected some 2,000 agents, college graduates who were supposed to promote national development project in the field, through open recruitment. National development corps was reminiscent of the ‘Student development corps’ organized by Korea Committee of UNESCO during 1954~1956. National development corps was possibly planned from the experience a few years ago which the government mobilized college students to develop the post-war reconstruction of Korea. These agents recruited by the government of Democratic party became reformed and grew complacent before and after the general election on July 29, 1960. Democratic party intended to incorporate reformed students in its ruling area and weaken the force of the student movement. There were many problems in the national development project in its early period when it was carried out. Some key members rejected to leave for the work place of the project. Most of all, many problems occurred because of insufficient preparation for the project. Also the delay of farm surplus inflow made obstacle to the promotion of the project. The allocation of the project budget so was influenced by personal considerations and political effect that it provoked the resentment and reproach of local population. The national development project could not be promoted because of the urgency of Democratic party that attempted to plan and promote the national work in only a few months. Many problems broke out in the course of the project. Finally, this enormously funded national development project did not help to solve poverty. Furthermore, Korean people turned their faces way from Democratic party`s economic policy. The rise of exchange and utility rates caused prices to rise, so the economic situation was getting less stable. In this situation, the May 16 military coup broke out. And then the national development project under Democratic party`s regime came to an end. After the coup, the military authorities promoted the project.