How the Underdog Korea Has Emerged from War to Economic Power

Korea has emerged from one of the poorest countries of the 1960s to an economic power within a few decades. Often called the miracle of the Han River, Korea’s rapid ascension to an economic power is one of the most remarkable ‘rags to riches’ stories in the history of modern economy. Korea has been no stranger to adversity and crises: the brutal Japanese colonization between 1910-1945, the devastating Korean War of the 1950s, the twice ‘Oil Shock’ of the 1970s, the so-called ‘IMF crisis’ of the 1990s, and the military confrontation with the hostile North Korea are all the hurdles and challenges that Korea has overcome. This book explores how Korea has turned the crises into opportunities and transformed herself into an ever-stronger economy in the 20th century.