𝐓𝐡𝐞 🇰🇷 𝐋𝐞𝐟𝐭 𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐂𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐇𝐞𝐞. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 🇰🇷 𝐑𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐃𝐢𝐝𝐧’𝐭.
The historical event of May 16, 1961, when General Park Chung Hee seized power of South Korea, is still a hotly discussed controversy in the South Korean political arena. Ironically, “Right-Wing” media outlets such as Chosun Ilbo and Dong-A Ilbo referred to Park’s military action of 5.16 as a "Coup," asserting how illegitimate the upcoming military junta will be. In contrast, the Left-Wing media outlet, Kyunghyang Shinmun, saw Park’s military action as a "revolution," implying a revolutionary change for the stagnant country.
This disparity in labeling really suggests a larger narrative struggle in South Korea. The South Korean “Right-Wing,” primarily older generations, admire Park for what they regard as South Korea's economic miracle along with his anti-communist policies and rhetoric. Meanwhile, the contemporary South Korean leftists critique Park’s authoritarianism, highlighting his strict repression of dissent and “human rights” violations.
