China to learn from Korea's New Village Movement (Saemaul Undong)

New Village Movement (Saemaul Undong) was Korea’s big government-led plan of modernizing the countryside launched in 1971. At that time, fast industrialization had created a huge gap between urban and rural area, and something had to be done. Koreans couldn’t address the problem better. Huge infrastructure expenditure in the rural area made use of excessive supply in building material industry, improved welfare of rural people, fostered civic participation, calmed down unrest, and created new domestic demand. The government planed the basic infrastructure, but also provides funding and building material for projects drawn up by villagers themselves, which is exactly what we now call public-private partnership.

China’s situation now is similar to Korea in the 1970s, and indeed they are sending  people to Korea to study the experience of New Village Movement, and they are determined  to copy it.  If China could create demand from inside (currently most of the growth depends on exports) ,  I believe China as a large economy can keep its fast growth for the next 20-30 years to come, as domestic demand once created  is self-sustaining.

Comments

[trachys]

Saemaul Undong as PPP? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

[esouled]

Saemal Undong is one of the greatest achievements and success of Korea under president Park Chung Hee.