Finding
And, in the end, he is probably correct in observing that "Korea has often been underestimated."
Paper
Dark Moon: Eighth Army Special Operations in the Korean War, and: White Tigers: My Secret War in North Korea (review)
Citations: 0
Full textAbstract
that affect current environmental problems. There seem to be so many contradictions and tensions overlooked—between Korean and Western values, the layering of Taoist, Buddhist, Confucian, and Christian belief systems, the emergence of modernist definitions of progress, as well as the long-standing philosophical distinctions between conservation and preservation, between economic growth and development. Moreover, Eder does not relate the environmental predicaments to the issues of sustainable development that many countries have now started to address. The problem of environmental degradation in Korea is complex, and interesting lessons should spring forth from such an analysis. Unfortunately, Eder's book merely scrapes the surface of the problem and provides little, if any, new scholarship on the broader conditions of society in Korea. In the end, Eder places a great deal of faith in nongovernmental organizations and "civic democracy" as Korea's hope for the future. He provides some interesting description and analysis of various organizations, and shows how they have gained prominence in recent years. While the environmental movement has grown somewhat, its popularity seems small in comparison to the public's passion for golf and consumptive lifestyles. The larger looming question, which remains to be answered, is whether the increase in individual freedom and democracy will lead to a strong environmental consciousness and ultimately a cleaner environment. Eder deserves praise for focusing attention on these issues and questions. And, in the end, he is probably correct in observing that "Korea has often been underestimated."
Authors
D. Boose
Journal
Korean Studies