Recommended Books

The Park Chung Hee Era

This collection of essays provides a deep dive into Park Chung Hee’s role in transforming Korea from a post-war backwater into a modern global economy. The book examines the political, economic, and military aspects of every stage of Park’s rule, from his post-coup position in the initial military junta to his final years as an unchallenged dictator.

It’s a long read, so it’s not for everyone. I’m unaware of any other such comprehensive analysis of Park, his policies, and key figures in his administration. The stories about Park that I’ve heard from people who lived through the era just barely scratch the surface. Highly informative for those interested in Korean political history. Buy it at Amazon.com.

The New Koreans

Journalist Michael Breen has, like me, spent most of his adult life in Korea, but he got here a decade before I did. This book started as an update to an earlier book he wrote called ‘The Koreans’, then ended up as something more. In it, he explores key points in Korea’s history along with its modern economic, social, and political development, touching on aspects of the culture that you might not have learned about elsewhere, such as the evolution of religion in Korea and its influence on the Korean people.

This is a much more accessible read than the one above, more suited to a general audience. Even having lived here for over 30 years, I found this book enlightening. I particularly enjoyed his anecdotes about his personal and professional interactions with public figures. Buy it at Amazon.