Summary of the History of Military Dictatorship in South and North Korea

South Korea's military dictatorship, Park Chung-hee's regime

In 1961, the May 16 military coup (Couteta) broke out and military dictatorship began in South Korea.

The Park Chung-hee administration first adopted the direct presidential election system after two years of national reconstruction, and after the inauguration of the government, it made significant achievements in economic development, drawing public support (or at least acquiescence) with tangible economic development results. In fact, the Park Chung-hee administration elected the president through direct elections, and Park Jung-hee won the election, so he was able to become president, not without a justification for taking power. 

However, the ruling party extended its term in 1969 due to a three-term constitutional amendment, and in 1972, it launched the Fourth Republic, a life-long dictatorship of Park Chung-hee, in October, a self-proclaimed "pro-defense coup." The Fourth Republic was an extension of the military regime of the Third Republic at the Supreme Council for National Reconstruction immediately after the May 16 military coup.

After Kim Jae-kyu's shooting in October, people demanded the abolition of the Yushin Constitution and political democratization, and Choi Kyu-ha's government lifted emergency measure No. 9 on December 8, allowing discussions on constitutional amendment.

South Korea's second military dictatorship, Chun Doo-hwan

However, the December 12 military revolt, which soon opened the beginning of the Chun Doo-hwan government, and the May 17 civil war the following year were unprecedented double coups in human history. The new military forces, including Chun Doo-hwan, seized all military and national sovereignty through a private organization called Hanahoe, and opposition politicians, people, and students, who were filled with the desire for democratization after Park Chung-hee, protested. The new military dismissed the issue of legitimacy and suppressed democratization by beating down Gwangju as an example. 

However, the opposition, people, and students' demands for democracy did not cool down, and when the June 1987 uprising broke out and the U.S. came under pressure, institutional democracy was established by accepting the revision of the direct presidential system through the June 29 Declaration. Through this, Korea, which had been a dictatorship, was able to transform itself into a democracy. However, there are still traces of authoritarianism, top-down, collectivism, and rigid social atmosphere. Of course, this is also getting better over time.

North Korea's Military Dictatorship Story 

Meanwhile, North Korea succeeded in establishing the dictatorship of the Kim Il-sung family in August 1956 when other factions except the Kim Il-sung faction and the Gapsan faction were purged. Initially, efforts were made to develop the economy to stabilize power, but in the 1960s, it was reduced to a de facto sick British country in the process of forcibly increasing military power. 

Nevertheless, it is hard to say that the party was a military dictatorship because it held the military personnel and censorship rights of the Korean People's Army, and even during the military-first politics, the Korean People's Army was just being dragged by Kim Jong-il. It was just that the civilian leader dictatorship took the form of a military government.