ABSTRACT
Chapter 5 explores the democratization process. While the first two kŭndaehwa projects were led by the two authoritarian regimes, democratization was not a project initiated by the state but by citizens. Though a democratic constitution introduced a liberal democracy, three of the first four presidents refused to step down at the end of the constitutional term and extended their tenure through constitutional revisions. They built an authoritarian regime by bringing the judiciary and legislative branches under the control of the executive office and taming civilian organizations, mass media, the universities, labour union and big business enterprise. Political opposition led by student activists and dissident Christian pastors followed and saved fledgling democracy from extinction. Democracy returned in 1987 with Roh Tae Woo’s 6.29 announcement. The post-1987 era witnessed various reform efforts to dismantle the authoritarian political system built by the authoritarian presidents over four decades. With the electoral system firmly re-established, it seems highly unlikely that an authoritarian regime will return. But one cannot say that the political system emerging now is a liberal democracy as enshrined in the original constitution. It remains a largely personalist (illiberal) democracy and is not likely to transform itself into an advanced liberal democracy soon.
