Abstract

The first half of 1970s was one of the crucial periods to understand the South Korea’s economic success. South Korea achieved great economic success as President Park Chung-hee concentrated his effort to maintain economic development to consolidate his dictatorial power as well as to overcome North Korean threats. Los Angeles Times and New York Times dealt with the issues on the South Korea’s economy with considerable amount of reports. To do so, they helped to provide general views of Americans on South Korea’s economy of the time. According to them, South Korea’s economic development was comparatively successful during this period. Some of them even highly praised the economic success of this country. However, the lack of democracy made them to believe that South Korea’s economic success was fragile. They failed to understand the South Korean people’s will and desperation to survive after the long years of poverty. Still, the analyses and advices presented in the reports were very valuable to see South Korea’s economic structure and problem. The reports of both American major newspapers contributed to develop the American views on South Korea and its economic development of the period.

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