Uk Heo - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Books by Uk Heo
South Korea's phenomenal rise has been studied extensively by political scientists and economists... more South Korea's phenomenal rise has been studied extensively by political scientists and economists both in terms of its impact on democratisation and as a role model for economic development. Yet little attention has been devoted to exploring the nexus between economic development and foreign policy. In South Korea's Rise, Uk Heo and Terence Roehrig propose a new theoretical framework to illustrate how an increase in a country's economic prosperity can bring about change to its foreign policy, prompting greater involvement in the international system, the transition to democracy, an expanded set of interests and increased tools to pursue its foreign policy goals. As a rising middle power, analysis of South Korea's foreign policy is crucial to our understanding of the power structure and future relations in East Asia. This is essential reading for all students and scholars with an interest in Asia, foreign policy and global economics.
• Offers a fresh theoretical perspective on the relationship between economic development and foreign policy • Provides a systematic and accessible review of South Korean foreign policy with the major world powers and with the developing world • Utilises a comprehensive collection of trade and investment data for South Korea and its economic partners
Papers by Uk Heo
Journal of Conflict Resolution, 2011
Past studies on military expenditures in the United States have primarily focused on the extent t... more Past studies on military expenditures in the United States have primarily focused on the extent to which guns versus butter trade-offs are prevalent without examining this relationship in the context of how other fiscal policy tools are used to pay for defense. Using annual data from 1947–2007, this study examines the relative importance of defense financing policy measures, such as guns versus butter trade-offs, tax increases, and deficit spending in paying for defense. The results show evidence of guns versus butter trade-off during the Reagan Era, but not during other periods. Both federal tax policy and deficit spending have played influential roles in funding defense spending during peacetime. This modeling strategy points to the importance of analyzing the effects of multiple fiscal policy tools when studying the forces that drive military spending in the United States since World War II.
Supplemental material, JAAS_2020_prg for US Military Deployment and Its Effects on South Korea... more Supplemental material, JAAS_2020_prg for US Military Deployment and Its Effects on South Korea's Politics and Economy by Uk Heo and Seongyi Yun in Journal of Asian and African Studies
Asian Survey, 2021
The biggest stories of the year 2020 were the COVID-19 pandemic and a trade dispute between the U... more The biggest stories of the year 2020 were the COVID-19 pandemic and a trade dispute between the United States and China. The pandemic significantly damaged the Asian economies. The US-China trade war halted after a phase one trade deal and the pandemic, but the future is unclear.
Scholars have investigated the relationship between defense spending and domestic political const... more Scholars have investigated the relationship between defense spending and domestic political constraints. Because of a two-year time lag, how-ever, it is difficult to make a theoretical link between the aggregate defense budget and domestic politics. We focus on defense contract awards because of their rapid turn-around. We advance the referendum model to account for variations in the timing of defense contracts within administrations. The referendum model posits that government policies are reflective of approval ratings and that the President uses defense con-tracts to counter sagging approval and/or a weak economy This is a subtle but important alternative to political business cycle (PBC) models which constrain political manipulation of the defense budget to the elec-toral cycle. An empirical model is tested using pooled time-series analy-sis which allows us to assess variation within administrations. The analy-sis reveals that presidential approval, war, presidential reelection, and unemployment are determinants of defense contracting. It was a smart P R. man who changed the name of the War Department to the Defense Department-ever since then everything's gone up in Congress in a hoot and a holler.-George McGovern in a 1991 interview In an analysis done at the height of the Cold War, Hitch and McKean (1960: 66-67) urged that the indirect effects of defense spending not be abused. They recommended that... the potential effects on stability should not dictate over defense policies. The scale and nature of defense expenditures should be decided on the basis of their NOTE: We are appreciative of the comments, assistance and suggestions of David Gamham, Tom
Since September 11, 2001, international relations and conflicts in the Middle East and South Asia... more Since September 11, 2001, international relations and conflicts in the Middle East and South Asia have attracted the lion’s share of attention from analysts and journalists. This is especially true in the United States, given that tens of thousands of U.S. troops are fighting insurgent-terrorist groups in Afghanistan and Iraq. Unfortunately, there has been corresponding neglect in covering and analyzing other regions. Of these other regions, East Asia is undoubtedly the most important. Most people are well aware of the economic prowess of Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, and over the last 25 years, of China’s rise to become the “factory of the world.” There is less awareness that the region harbors two of the world’s most dangerous conflicts—between China and Taiwan, and between North and South Korea. Both of these conflicts could involve the United States and its key ally Japan in massive conventional wars, which might escalate into nuclear wars.
The Korean Peninsula is one of the few regions in the world that still live with Cold War-style m... more The Korean Peninsula is one of the few regions in the world that still live with Cold War-style military confrontation. North Korea adopted the “military first” policy and concentrated its resources on the military. In addition, they have developed nuclear and missile programs, which have been a primary source of security volatility in the region. In response, South Korea has maintained high levels of defense spending. U.S. troops have remained in South Korea since the Korean War, although the number of troops has declined.1
*** This study was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea grant funded by the Kor... more *** This study was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea grant funded by the Korean Government (NRF-2010-330-B00031). Sung Deuk Hahm thanks financial supports from the LG Yonam Foundation and the Korean Institute for Presidential Studies. *** Uk Heo is Professor of Department of Political Science at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, U.S.A. and international scholar at Kyung Hee University, Korea. He received his Ph.D. in Political Science from Texas A&M University, U.S.A. His recent publications include South Korea since 1980 with Terence Roehrig (Cambridge University Press, 2010) and “Who Pays for National Defense? Financing Defense Programs in the United States, 1947-2007” with John Bohte in Journal of Conflict Resolution (2012). E-mail: heouk@uwm.edu. *** Sung Deuk Hahm is Professor of Political Economy at Korea University, Korea. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief of Korean Social Science Journal, a co-editor of International Public Management Journal (Taylor & Francis), and an associate editor of Administration & Society (Sage). He received his Ph.D. in Public Policy Analysis from Carnegie Mellon University, U.S.A. His recent publications include “The Notion of Good and Bad Governance in Comparative Perspective” (2011) and “Emergence of East Asian TFT-LCD Clusters: A Comparative Analysis of the Samsung Cluster in South Korea and the Chimei Cluster in Taiwan” (2010). E-mail: hahm33@hotmail.com.
Asian Survey, 2018
The biggest story of 2017 in South Korea was the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye and the e... more The biggest story of 2017 in South Korea was the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye and the election of Moon Jae-in, shifting power from conservative to progressive. The economy showed signs of recovery despite multiple concerns. The North Korean nuclear crisis intensified tensions in the region.
The Journal of American-East Asian Relations, 2019
Asian Survey, 2019
The biggest story of 2018 was a series of summit meetings between US President Donald Trump, Sout... more The biggest story of 2018 was a series of summit meetings between US President Donald Trump, South Korean President Moon Jae-in, and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to discuss the denuclearization of North Korea. The income-led growth policies of the Moon Jae-in administration have not stimulated the economy.
Journal of Asian and African Studies, 2017
When Park Geun-hye was elected South Korea’s first female president in 2012, many expected that S... more When Park Geun-hye was elected South Korea’s first female president in 2012, many expected that South Korea’s democracy would deepen. Contrary to the expectation, however, from the beginning of her administration, there were concerns about democracy retreating due to her leadership style/qualities. Despite her rather “undemocratic” leadership qualities, Park Geun-hye has consistently received 30% or higher job approval ratings until “Choi Soon-sil gate” broke out in October 2016. Thus, in this study, we analyzed what led to her leadership qualities and makes it possible for her to maintain a relatively high level of job approval ratings. We argue that her leadership qualities are the product of her unique personal background and South Korea’s immature democratic institutions. She receives relatively strong support thanks to her father, President Park Chung-hee’s (1961–1979) legacy.
Social Science Quarterly, 2015
ABSTRACT Objective Despite a plethora of studies on the relationship between democracy and econom... more ABSTRACT Objective Despite a plethora of studies on the relationship between democracy and economic development, a dominant theoretical framework has yet to emerge. Economic development may lead to the transition to democracy and mature democratic institutions are likely to help economic development. Thus, in this article, we test the relationship among economic development, institutional maturity, and democracy.Methods In a recent study, Gerring et al. (2005) developed a new concept, “democracy stock,” to incorporate institutional maturity. This concept is useful because institutional maturity matters. To address the issue of endogeneity between democracy and economic development, we investigate the relationship using a simultaneous equation method and data from 1950 to 2000.ResultsThe empirical results show that democracy and economic development affect each other.Conclusions Economic development not only helps democratization, but it also assists democratic systems to survive and mature. Mature democratic systems do help economic development.
Choice Reviews Online, 2008
IDENTITY AND CHANCE IN EAST ASIAN CONFLICTS © Shale Horowitz, Uk Heo, Alexander C.Tan, 2007. All ... more IDENTITY AND CHANCE IN EAST ASIAN CONFLICTS © Shale Horowitz, Uk Heo, Alexander C.Tan, 2007. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in ...
Journal of Asian and African Studies, 2016
This study investigates what factors affect Republic of Korea (South Korea)–United States (ROK–US... more This study investigates what factors affect Republic of Korea (South Korea)–United States (ROK–US) relations based on a theoretical framework, using event data created by content analysis from 1990 to 2011. South Korea’s economic development led to democratization, which resulted in elite changes. New progressive elites interpreted national interests differently and demanded changes in ROK–US relations. Accordingly, the ROK–US relationship was tense during the progressive administrations. ROK’s economic development attracted more trade with the US, which enhanced the bilateral relationship due to heightened interdependence. By contrast, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea)–US relationship and the trade between ROK and China did not significantly affect ROK– relations, meaning ROK’s relationship with other countries does not affect ROK–US relations.
South Korea's phenomenal rise has been studied extensively by political scientists and economists... more South Korea's phenomenal rise has been studied extensively by political scientists and economists both in terms of its impact on democratisation and as a role model for economic development. Yet little attention has been devoted to exploring the nexus between economic development and foreign policy. In South Korea's Rise, Uk Heo and Terence Roehrig propose a new theoretical framework to illustrate how an increase in a country's economic prosperity can bring about change to its foreign policy, prompting greater involvement in the international system, the transition to democracy, an expanded set of interests and increased tools to pursue its foreign policy goals. As a rising middle power, analysis of South Korea's foreign policy is crucial to our understanding of the power structure and future relations in East Asia. This is essential reading for all students and scholars with an interest in Asia, foreign policy and global economics.
• Offers a fresh theoretical perspective on the relationship between economic development and foreign policy • Provides a systematic and accessible review of South Korean foreign policy with the major world powers and with the developing world • Utilises a comprehensive collection of trade and investment data for South Korea and its economic partners
Journal of Conflict Resolution, 2011
Past studies on military expenditures in the United States have primarily focused on the extent t... more Past studies on military expenditures in the United States have primarily focused on the extent to which guns versus butter trade-offs are prevalent without examining this relationship in the context of how other fiscal policy tools are used to pay for defense. Using annual data from 1947–2007, this study examines the relative importance of defense financing policy measures, such as guns versus butter trade-offs, tax increases, and deficit spending in paying for defense. The results show evidence of guns versus butter trade-off during the Reagan Era, but not during other periods. Both federal tax policy and deficit spending have played influential roles in funding defense spending during peacetime. This modeling strategy points to the importance of analyzing the effects of multiple fiscal policy tools when studying the forces that drive military spending in the United States since World War II.
Supplemental material, JAAS_2020_prg for US Military Deployment and Its Effects on South Korea... more Supplemental material, JAAS_2020_prg for US Military Deployment and Its Effects on South Korea's Politics and Economy by Uk Heo and Seongyi Yun in Journal of Asian and African Studies
Asian Survey, 2021
The biggest stories of the year 2020 were the COVID-19 pandemic and a trade dispute between the U... more The biggest stories of the year 2020 were the COVID-19 pandemic and a trade dispute between the United States and China. The pandemic significantly damaged the Asian economies. The US-China trade war halted after a phase one trade deal and the pandemic, but the future is unclear.
Scholars have investigated the relationship between defense spending and domestic political const... more Scholars have investigated the relationship between defense spending and domestic political constraints. Because of a two-year time lag, how-ever, it is difficult to make a theoretical link between the aggregate defense budget and domestic politics. We focus on defense contract awards because of their rapid turn-around. We advance the referendum model to account for variations in the timing of defense contracts within administrations. The referendum model posits that government policies are reflective of approval ratings and that the President uses defense con-tracts to counter sagging approval and/or a weak economy This is a subtle but important alternative to political business cycle (PBC) models which constrain political manipulation of the defense budget to the elec-toral cycle. An empirical model is tested using pooled time-series analy-sis which allows us to assess variation within administrations. The analy-sis reveals that presidential approval, war, presidential reelection, and unemployment are determinants of defense contracting. It was a smart P R. man who changed the name of the War Department to the Defense Department-ever since then everything's gone up in Congress in a hoot and a holler.-George McGovern in a 1991 interview In an analysis done at the height of the Cold War, Hitch and McKean (1960: 66-67) urged that the indirect effects of defense spending not be abused. They recommended that... the potential effects on stability should not dictate over defense policies. The scale and nature of defense expenditures should be decided on the basis of their NOTE: We are appreciative of the comments, assistance and suggestions of David Gamham, Tom
Since September 11, 2001, international relations and conflicts in the Middle East and South Asia... more Since September 11, 2001, international relations and conflicts in the Middle East and South Asia have attracted the lion’s share of attention from analysts and journalists. This is especially true in the United States, given that tens of thousands of U.S. troops are fighting insurgent-terrorist groups in Afghanistan and Iraq. Unfortunately, there has been corresponding neglect in covering and analyzing other regions. Of these other regions, East Asia is undoubtedly the most important. Most people are well aware of the economic prowess of Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, and over the last 25 years, of China’s rise to become the “factory of the world.” There is less awareness that the region harbors two of the world’s most dangerous conflicts—between China and Taiwan, and between North and South Korea. Both of these conflicts could involve the United States and its key ally Japan in massive conventional wars, which might escalate into nuclear wars.
The Korean Peninsula is one of the few regions in the world that still live with Cold War-style m... more The Korean Peninsula is one of the few regions in the world that still live with Cold War-style military confrontation. North Korea adopted the “military first” policy and concentrated its resources on the military. In addition, they have developed nuclear and missile programs, which have been a primary source of security volatility in the region. In response, South Korea has maintained high levels of defense spending. U.S. troops have remained in South Korea since the Korean War, although the number of troops has declined.1
*** This study was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea grant funded by the Kor... more *** This study was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea grant funded by the Korean Government (NRF-2010-330-B00031). Sung Deuk Hahm thanks financial supports from the LG Yonam Foundation and the Korean Institute for Presidential Studies. *** Uk Heo is Professor of Department of Political Science at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, U.S.A. and international scholar at Kyung Hee University, Korea. He received his Ph.D. in Political Science from Texas A&M University, U.S.A. His recent publications include South Korea since 1980 with Terence Roehrig (Cambridge University Press, 2010) and “Who Pays for National Defense? Financing Defense Programs in the United States, 1947-2007” with John Bohte in Journal of Conflict Resolution (2012). E-mail: heouk@uwm.edu. *** Sung Deuk Hahm is Professor of Political Economy at Korea University, Korea. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief of Korean Social Science Journal, a co-editor of International Public Management Journal (Taylor & Francis), and an associate editor of Administration & Society (Sage). He received his Ph.D. in Public Policy Analysis from Carnegie Mellon University, U.S.A. His recent publications include “The Notion of Good and Bad Governance in Comparative Perspective” (2011) and “Emergence of East Asian TFT-LCD Clusters: A Comparative Analysis of the Samsung Cluster in South Korea and the Chimei Cluster in Taiwan” (2010). E-mail: hahm33@hotmail.com.
Asian Survey, 2018
The biggest story of 2017 in South Korea was the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye and the e... more The biggest story of 2017 in South Korea was the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye and the election of Moon Jae-in, shifting power from conservative to progressive. The economy showed signs of recovery despite multiple concerns. The North Korean nuclear crisis intensified tensions in the region.
The Journal of American-East Asian Relations, 2019
Asian Survey, 2019
The biggest story of 2018 was a series of summit meetings between US President Donald Trump, Sout... more The biggest story of 2018 was a series of summit meetings between US President Donald Trump, South Korean President Moon Jae-in, and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to discuss the denuclearization of North Korea. The income-led growth policies of the Moon Jae-in administration have not stimulated the economy.
Journal of Asian and African Studies, 2017
When Park Geun-hye was elected South Korea’s first female president in 2012, many expected that S... more When Park Geun-hye was elected South Korea’s first female president in 2012, many expected that South Korea’s democracy would deepen. Contrary to the expectation, however, from the beginning of her administration, there were concerns about democracy retreating due to her leadership style/qualities. Despite her rather “undemocratic” leadership qualities, Park Geun-hye has consistently received 30% or higher job approval ratings until “Choi Soon-sil gate” broke out in October 2016. Thus, in this study, we analyzed what led to her leadership qualities and makes it possible for her to maintain a relatively high level of job approval ratings. We argue that her leadership qualities are the product of her unique personal background and South Korea’s immature democratic institutions. She receives relatively strong support thanks to her father, President Park Chung-hee’s (1961–1979) legacy.
Social Science Quarterly, 2015
ABSTRACT Objective Despite a plethora of studies on the relationship between democracy and econom... more ABSTRACT Objective Despite a plethora of studies on the relationship between democracy and economic development, a dominant theoretical framework has yet to emerge. Economic development may lead to the transition to democracy and mature democratic institutions are likely to help economic development. Thus, in this article, we test the relationship among economic development, institutional maturity, and democracy.Methods In a recent study, Gerring et al. (2005) developed a new concept, “democracy stock,” to incorporate institutional maturity. This concept is useful because institutional maturity matters. To address the issue of endogeneity between democracy and economic development, we investigate the relationship using a simultaneous equation method and data from 1950 to 2000.ResultsThe empirical results show that democracy and economic development affect each other.Conclusions Economic development not only helps democratization, but it also assists democratic systems to survive and mature. Mature democratic systems do help economic development.
Choice Reviews Online, 2008
IDENTITY AND CHANCE IN EAST ASIAN CONFLICTS © Shale Horowitz, Uk Heo, Alexander C.Tan, 2007. All ... more IDENTITY AND CHANCE IN EAST ASIAN CONFLICTS © Shale Horowitz, Uk Heo, Alexander C.Tan, 2007. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in ...
Journal of Asian and African Studies, 2016
This study investigates what factors affect Republic of Korea (South Korea)–United States (ROK–US... more This study investigates what factors affect Republic of Korea (South Korea)–United States (ROK–US) relations based on a theoretical framework, using event data created by content analysis from 1990 to 2011. South Korea’s economic development led to democratization, which resulted in elite changes. New progressive elites interpreted national interests differently and demanded changes in ROK–US relations. Accordingly, the ROK–US relationship was tense during the progressive administrations. ROK’s economic development attracted more trade with the US, which enhanced the bilateral relationship due to heightened interdependence. By contrast, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea)–US relationship and the trade between ROK and China did not significantly affect ROK– relations, meaning ROK’s relationship with other countries does not affect ROK–US relations.
Changing national identities have transformed the China-Taiwan and Korean conflicts. Democratizat... more Changing national identities have transformed the China-Taiwan and Korean conflicts. Democratization in Taiwan and South Korea and liberalization in China have forced leaders to compete for popular legitimacy by appealing to national identities. Along with the collapse of the Soviet Union, these contested national identities have been the main factors driving change in the conflicts, pushing China and Taiwan apart, while propping up what appeared to be a mortally wounded North Korea.