Presidential leadership and democratization in South Korea

This study examined the leadership styles of three South Korean presidents, Rhee, Park, and Chun. In explaining leadership style, the focus of this study rested on factors such as personality, legitimacy, ruling ideology, and decision-making process of each president. This study also examined which of these four factors was most influential in forming each president's leadership style.;This study examined how South Korean presidents dealt with civil and political liberties as an important element in explaining the process of democratization. This examination focused on the various restrictive laws designed to stifle opposition to their regimes. Finally, this study examined the negative effects that these presidents had upon democratization and sought to determine the degree of culpability each of them had upon democratization in South Korea.;The leadership style of president Syngman Rhee was authoritarian, primarily influenced by personality factors and his reliance on coercive force. President Park Chung Hee's leadership style, which relied upon the use of coercion, was authoritarian. His leadership style was primarily influenced by his military background and his regime's lack of legitimacy. Like Park, President Chun Doo Hwan's leadership style was authoritarian in his reliance upon coercive force. His leadership style was primarily influenced by his experience and his regime's lack of legitimacy.;All three presidents exhibited an authoritarian leadership style. All three regimes violated civil and political liberties. All three regimes relied upon coercive force and restrictive laws in order to suppress opposition and retain power. The three regimes had in common an authoritarian leadership that impaired the process of democratization in South Korea. Park and Chun, who had military backgrounds, relied more on restrictive laws than did Rhee. Park and Chun thus were more repressive towards the opposition forces than Rhee. One may then conclude that Park and Chun had greater negative effects upon democratization in South Korea than did Rhee.