Planning and Implementation of Rural Community Development in Korea July 2014 Sang Bong Im Rural Research Institute, KRC

Korean War (1950~1953)

Transformation of the Korean Economy (1945~2013) Liberation from Japanese Colonial Rule 6 Five-Year-Economic- Development Plans Financial Crisis ,000 10, ,432 7, Per Capita (US$) GNI ,205 OECD Member 100(1964) 1,000(1977) 1998 A. Growth Trend

Changes in Employment Structure Manufacturing 1960 Service Sector Agriculture / Fisheries Manufacturing Agriculture / Fisheries B. Changes in Industrial Structure 2005 Service Sector Agriculture / Fisheries Manufacturing Manufacturing Agriculture / Fisheries Service Sector Changes in GDP Structure

Rural Communities in 1960s Car accessible villages: 60% Electricity accessible villages: 20% Repeated natural disasters Low agricultural productivity One of Least Developed Countries in the World GNP/Capita: US$ 87 in 1962 Poor Infrastructure Rural poverty ratio in 1967: 34% in absolute term. Rural Development was an urgent Issue for poverty alleviation and for reduction of income disparity (social instability).

Community Development Program in Korea Introduced CD Program in 1958 Pilot Villages: 818 villages in 1960s Agricultural Production Infrastructure Development & Housing Education, Healthcare, Nutrition …etc. But, not put down roots successfully in Korea Introduced Saemaul Undong program in 1971

Traditional Peasant Society - Seasonality of labor: Drinking & Gambling - Resistance to change (chance) * Fatalism

Rostow’s Stages of Econ. Growth The Traditional Society The Precondition for Take-off - Agrarian reform - Agricultural productivity - Urban expansion The Take-off The Drive to Maturity The Age of High Mass-Consumption

Chronology of Dev’t Policy |---|-|---|----|----|----|----|

Types of rural development - Poverty reduction/eradication: Agrl productivity (HYVs) - Income increase: cash crops - Living envt improvement: Housing, roof, roads, bridges, etc - Industrialization: urban/rural

 Nat’l Dev’t Strategy: Export- and Urban-Oriented  Escape from Absolute Poverty in Rural Areas - Decrease of rural population (50.2%(’70) →43.3%(’80)) ’05 (19%) - Increase of agricultural productivity: 289kg/10a(’65) →503kg(’75), 504kg(’80) - Agricultural product price support policy  Rural Problems Encountered - Widened dev’t gap between urban & rural areas - Aging rural population - Low viability of rural communities

Saemaul Undong: New Village Movement Derived from Community Operational Mechanism 1. Village community is an autonomous body 2. Village Community is a social organization 3. Community leadership 4. Various social organizations 5. People identify problems & needs of community 6. Solve problems in the way of self-help and cooperation

Initiation of Saemaul Undong: 1971 Distribute 350 bags of cements & ½ ton of steels to each rural village through out the country Ask to do with these materials what community people want for common purpose Induced motivation/development needs/ participation/mobilization/empowerment Government provided supporting measures :Training, financial & administrative support/technical support

Saemaul Logo

Before & After of Saemaul Projects

Improved roofs, fences, roads..

Constructed bridge, changed village

SU Performance: 1972~1981 Total US$ 7,203.2 Million Invested Government invested 51% Community people invested 49% - 64,686km of rural road were developed - 6,187km of rural road paved - 82,596 new bridges were built - 39,231 community halls were built - 258,000 houses were newly built - 3,047 villages were reconstructed International communities have questions “Why people participated in SU so enthusiastically?” ---Communication, Competition, Commitment

Saemaul Undong: New Village Movement A Definition: A Rural Community Development Movement - Betterment of Living Conditions through Income, Infrastructure, Living Environment, and Community Building in the Ways of Self-help and Cooperation under the Government Sponsorship

Goals Immediate goals – Improving living condition of individuals in the way of self-help and cooperation with community resources & outside support Ultimate goal Building a better and sound community by community people Building a strong nation

Dimensions Income Increase Infrastructure Building Improve Living Environments Spiritual Enlightenment & Social Interaction Self-help & Cooperation

Strategies 1. Village Community as Development Unit 2. Government Initiating Bottom-up Approach 3. Integrated Approach 4. Comprehensive Approach 5. More Support for the Better Performance 6.Two tier Change Agents

1. Village Community as Development Unit Village as a Community (closed community) Social interaction & common ties Administrative unit Planning & Development unit Changing the Role of People :from consumers or clients to ‘co-producer’ of public services

2. Bottom-up Approach Bottom - Up Approach (The Continuity of Development Process) (People’s Participation based on Community Autonomy) Village Community Felt Needs for Development Develop Projects By Village People Implementation The SU - Economic Affordability - People’s Empowerment - Leadership - Social Organizations - Social Norms for Cooperation and Self-help

Top-Down Approach Supporting Measure (Subsidy, Training, Supervising) Community-based Bottom - Up Approach (The Continuity of Development Process) (People’s Participation & Empowerment based on Community Autonomy) Village Community Felt Needs for Development Develop Projects By Village People Implementation The SMU Government Initiating Bottom-up Approach Induce Felt Needs, Providing Motivation for getting sustainability

National Policy for the SMU Program Supporting Measure (Financial, Training, R&D Administrative Support, Institutional Renovation) SMU Action Plan (Community Level) (Horizontal and vertical integration) 3. Integrated Approach

National Policy for Supporting SU Program the Case of Korea 1.Dual price policy for guaranteeing income 2.Agricultural income increase policy 3.Side job income increase policy 4.Rural industrialization policy 5.R&D and agricultural extension program 6.Agricultural cooperative fostering policy 7.Farm mechanization policy 8.Agricultural infrastructure development policy 9.Rural education, med-care policy

 Agriculture development  Non-agriculture development  Agricultural Production Infrastructure  Social Infrastructure  Housing  Building Community Center/Credit Union  Community Beautification  House Cleaning & Beautification  Renovation of Community Institutions  Vitalization of Community Festivals  Supporting Youth Activities  Drinking Water Supply  Kitchen Improvement  Toilet/ Bathroom Improvement Income Generation Infrastructure Building SU Community Building Socio-Cultural Development Health & Sanitation 4. Comprehensive Approach at the Micro Level SU Program (horizontal integration)

5. More Support for the Better Performance Support more for the better performed community Reward villages leaders for the success Increase subsidy for the better performance: electrification, cash. Road, etc Small repeated success & Follow-up program: re-enforce mechanism Reduce subsidy for poor performance and let them bench marking the successful villages (market conforming) Continuous support until the community reaches to the level of self-reliance & empowerment

6. Change Agents and Good Partnership (Vertical Integration) Government Authority (State & Local) Village Community Saemaul Leader (village leader) Local Government Officers (Two Tire system)

Saemaul leader as Change Agent Personal satisfaction of Saemaul leader - respect from community - learning and training with big figures - rivalry among Saemaul leaders Positive Motivation & Commitment Continued Training and Support Shared Vision Changing Role of Women

Implementation Process Government Policy (Subsidy, Guideline ) Change Agents (Supervising, Training & Extension Service) Village Community Felt/Induced Needs for Development Setting Priority of Development Organization of Village Development Committee Project Formulation & Goal Setting (5-Year Development Plan) Project Approval & Implementation Evaluation and Feedback

Implications of SU 1.Based on Community Operational Mechanism 2.Government initiating & supporting measures motivate people to participate 3.Government supporting policies facilitated micro community development programs 4.Government guidelines guaranteed community autonomy 5.Community initiative and empowerment for action plan formulation 6.Partnership between Local government & community 7.Process of Capacity Building and Leadership 8.Contributed to the sustainable community development & modernization of the nation through attaining can do spirits

Vision - The Lamp of the East / Tagore (1929) * Nobel prize winner in literature(1913) - Revitalized rural communities, harmonized with the developed country

The lamp of the east Rabindranath Tagore In the golden of the Asia Korea was one of its lamp - bearers And that lamp is waiting to be lighted once again For the illumination in the east.