Hostname: page-component-7b7567c8c-fvjsw Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2026-11-12T08:19:57.553Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Explaining the Third Sector in South Korea

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2026

Eric Bidet
Eric Bidet*
Affiliation:
Hongik University, Seoul, South KoreaGEODE, University of Paris X-Nanterre, France
*
3 Correspondence should be directed to Eric Bidet, Chongno-gu, Pyongchang-dong 523-51, Seoul, South Korea; e-mail: ericbi@kornet.net
Get accessRights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The paper presents the main characteristics and the distinctive nature of the South Korean third sector compared to most Western countries. Differences are explained in terms of cultural embededdness and political embededdness—in particular with respect to the import of Confucianism (or neo-Confucianism) and of human rights abuse in articulation with a strong ideology of anticommunism that has been developed by a succession of dictatorial regimes since the end of the Japanese colonization of Korea. The paper concludes by highlighting positive factors for the future development of the third sector in Korea.

Résumé

Résumé

L’article présente les caractéristiques principales et la nature distincte du tiers secteur de la Corée du Sud par comparaison à la plupart des pays occidentaux. Les différences sont expliquées en terme d’imbrications culturelles et politiques-en particulier relativement à l’introduction du confucianisme (ou néoconfucianisme) et au non-respect des droits de l’homme, le tout articulé autour d’une forte idéologie anti-communiste, résultat d’une succession de régimes dictatoriaux depuis la fin de la colonisation japonaise de la Corée. L’article conclut en mettant en lumière des facteurs positifs pour le développement futur du tiers secteur en Corée.

Zusammenfassung

Zusammenfassung

Der Aufsatz stellt die Hauptmerkmale und die charakteristische Natur des südkoreanischen Dritten Sektors im Vergleich zu den meisten westlichen Ländern vor. Unterschiede werden unter Bezugnahme auf die kulturelle und die politische Einbettung erklärt-vor allem in Bezug auf den Import des Konfuzianismus (oder des Neo-Konfuzianismus) und auf Menschenrechtsverletzungen unter Berufung auf eine starke Ideologie des Antikommunismus, die sich durch die Abfolge mehrerer diktatorischer Regimes seit dem Ende der japanischen Kolonisation Koreas entwickelt hat. Der Aufsatz endet mit der Hervorhebung positiver Faktoren für die zukünftige Entwicklung des Dritten Sektors in Korea.

Resumen

Resumen

Este articulo presenta las principales características y la naturaleza distintiva del tercer sector en Corea del sur comparado con la mayoria de los paises occidentales. Las diferencias se explican en terminos de una base cultural y política-en particular con respecto a la importación del Confusionismo (o neo-Confusionismo) y del abuso de derechos humanos en articulación con una fuerte ideología de anticomunismo que ha sido desarrollada por una sucesión de regimenes dictatoriales desde el final de la colonización japonesa de Corea. Este articulo concluye destacando factores positivos para el futuro desarrollo del tercer sector en Corea.

Keywords

third sectorsocial economySouth Korea

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
Voluntas: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations , Volume 13 , Issue 2 , June 2002, pp. 131 - 147
Copyright
Copyright © 2002 International Society for Third-Sector Research and The Johns Hopkins University

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

Amsden, A. (1989). Asia’s Next Giant, Oxford University Press, New York.Google Scholar
Anheier, H., and Ben-Ner, A. (1997). Changements dans les delimitations et importances relatives des secteurs prive lucratif, non lucratif, cooperatif et public. In Monnier, L. and Thiry, B. (eds.), Mutations structurelles et intérêt général, De Boeck, Brussels.Google Scholar
Anheier, H., and Seibel, W. (1990). The Third Sector: Comparative Studies of Nonprofit Organisations, De Gruyter, Berlin.10.1515/9783110868401CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Archambault, E. (1996). Le secteur sans but lucratif, Economica, Paris.Google Scholar
Bacchiega, A., and Borzaga, C. (2001). Social enterprises as incentive structures. In Borzaga, C. and Defourny, J. (eds.), The Emergence of Social Enterprise, Routledge, London.Google Scholar
Ben-Ner, A., and Van Hoomissen, T. (1991). Nonprofit organizations in the mixed economy. In A. BenNer and B. Gui, The Nonprofit Sector in the Mixed Economy. Annals of Public and Co-operative Economy, 62(4), 519–550, De Boeck, Brussels, Belgium.10.1111/j.1467-8292.1991.tb01366.xCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bidet, E. (1999). L’economie sociale, Encyclopedia Universalis, May, LeMonde, Paris.Google Scholar
Bidet, E. (2000a). Economie sociale et NPI: le cas de la Corée du sud. Annals of Public and Co-operative Economics, 71(3), 375–414.10.1111/1467-8292.00146CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bidet, E. (2000b). L’économie sociale: le cheminement d’un concep meconnu. Economie et solidarité, 31(2), 64–81.Google Scholar
Bidet, E. (2000c). Economie sociale, nouvelle economie sociale et sociologie économique. Sociologie du travail, 42(4), 587–599.10.4000/sdt.37146CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bidet, E., and Kitajima, K. (1999). The new social economy: A comparative perspective in France, Korea, Japan, Matsuyama University Discussion Paper, 1101 (in Japanese).Google Scholar
Borzaga, C., and Defourny, J. (eds.). (2001). The Emergence of Social Enterprise, Routledge, London.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Breen, M. (1998). The Koreans, Orion Business, London.Google Scholar
Burmeister, L. (1994). From parastatal control to corporatist intermediation: The Korean agricultural cooperative in transition, Georgetown Conference on Korean Society, Georgetown University, May 15-18, 1994.Google Scholar
Caille, A. (1997). Don, association et solidarité. RECMA-Revue internationale de l’économie sociale, 265(76), 72–84.Google Scholar
Castel, R. (1995). Les metamorphoses de la question sociale, Fayard, Paris.10.3406/agora.1995.1517CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cheong, S. B. (1988). Etat, intellectuels et mouvements sociaux dans un nouveau pays industriel: la Corée du sud, Ph.D. Thesis, EHESS, Paris.Google Scholar
Cho, H. I. (1997). The historical origin of civil society in Korea. Korea Journal, 37(2), 24–41.Google Scholar
Cho, K. S. (1998). Regionalism in Korean elections and democratization: An empirical analysis. Asian Perspective, 22(1), 135–156.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Choi, S. J. (1996). Aging and social policy in Korea. Korea Journal of Population and Development, 25(1), 1–25.Google Scholar
Ciriec (2000). Les entreprises et organisations du troisième secteur Un enjeu stratègique pour l’emploi, Ciriec International, Lieége, Belgium.Google Scholar
Clark, G., and Kim, W. B. (1995). Asian NIEs and the Global Economy, Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD.Google Scholar
Cumings, B. (1981). The Origins of Korean War, Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ.Google Scholar
Cumings, B. (1997). Korea’s Place in the Sun, Norton, New York.Google Scholar
Curtis, G. (1997). A “recipe” for democratic development. Journal of Democracy, 3(3), 139145.Google Scholar
Defourny, J., and Develtere, P. (1999). The social economy: The worldwide making of a third sector, Step Working Paper, International Labour Office, Geneva.Google Scholar
Defourny, J., Favreau, L., and Laville, J. L. (eds.) (1998). Insertion et nouvelle (économie sociale, Desclée de Brouwer, Paris.Google Scholar
Defourny, J., and Monzon-Campos, J. L. (eds.) (1992). Economie Sociale — Third Sector, De Boeck, Brussels.Google Scholar
Diamond, L. (1994). Rethinking civil society: Towards democratic consolidation. Journal of Democracy, 5(3).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
d’Iribarne, P (1989). La logique de l’honneur, Seuil, Paris.Google Scholar
Fukuyama, F. (1995). Trust, The Social Virtues and the Creation of Prosperity, The Free Press, New York.Google Scholar
Gidron, B., Kramer, R., and Salamon, L. (1992). Government and the Nonprofit Sector: Emerging Relationship in Welfare States, Jossey Bass, San Francisco.Google Scholar
Godbout, J. (1998). Liens primaires, associations et tiers-secteur. Revue du MAUSS, 11, 44–56.Google Scholar
Goodman, R., and Peng, I. (1996). The East Asian welfare states: Peripatetic learning, adaptative change, and nation-building. In Esping-Andersen, G. (ed.), Welfare States in Transition, Sage, London.Google Scholar
Gueslin, A. (1998). L’invention de l’économie sociale, 2nd edn., Economica, Paris.Google Scholar
Gui, B. (1991). The economic rationale for the third-sector. In A. Ben-Ner and B. Gui, The Nonprofit Sector in a Mixed Economy. Annals of Public and Co-operative Economy, 62(4), 551–572, De Boeck, Brussels, Belgium.10.1111/j.1467-8292.1991.tb01367.xCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gui, B. (1996). On relational goods: Strategic implications of investment in relationships. International Journal of Social Economics, 10/11.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Han, S. J. (1998). The public sphere and democracy in Korea. Korea Journal, 37(4), 78–97.Google Scholar
Hansmann, H. (1980). The role of nonprofit enterprise. Yale Law Journal, 89(5), 835–901.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hassink, R. (1999). South Korea’s economic miracle and crisis: Explanations and regional consequences. European Planning Studies, 7(2), 127–143.10.1080/09654319908720508CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Henderson, G. (1968). Korea: The Politics of Vortex, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA.Google Scholar
Hong, K. (1997). Regional policy in the Republic of Korea. Regional Studies, 31, 417–423.Google Scholar
Hood, S. (1998). The myth of Asian-style democracy. Asian Survey, 38(9), 853–866.10.2307/2645622CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Huntington, S. (1996). The Clash of Civilizations, Touchstone, New York.Google Scholar
Im, S. B. (1997). An evaluation and prospect of local autonomy since 1995. In Policy Studies of1996, Korea Research Institute for Local Autonomy Policy, Seoul.Google Scholar
Ishizuka, H. (1997). Change of Japan’s society and change of co-operative sector. ICA Research Conference, Bertinoro, Oct. 3, 1997.Google Scholar
James, E. (1990). Economic theories of the nonprofit sector: A comparative perspective. In Anheier, H. and Seibel, W. (eds.), The Third Sector: Comparative Studies of Nonprofit Organisations, De Gruyter, Berlin.Google Scholar
Janelli, R. (1993). Making Capitalism, Stanford University Press, Stanford.Google Scholar
Jones, C. (1993). The Pacific challenge Confucian welfare state. In Jones, C. (ed.), New Perspectives on Welfare State in Europe, Routledge, London.Google Scholar
Jung, K. H. (ed.) (1994). Evolving Patterns of Asia-Pacific Philanthropy, Institute of East and West Studies, Yonsei University, Seoul.Google Scholar
Jung, K. H. (1998). The economic crisis and the nonprofit sector. In Globalization, Governance and Civil Society, Global Thinknet, Tokyo.Google Scholar
Jung, K. H., Park, T. K., and Hwang, C. S. (1999). Korea. In Silk, T. (ed.), Philanthropy and Law in Asia, Jossey Bass, San Francisco.Google Scholar
Kang, M. G. (1998). Understanding urban problems in Korea: Continuity and change. Development and Society, 27(1), 99–120.Google Scholar
Kawaguchi, K., and Tomizawa, K. (1997). Japan’s nonprofit and cooperative sector, mimeo.Google Scholar
Kim, C. S. (1992). The Culture of Korean Industry, University of Arizona Press, Tucson.Google Scholar
Kim, E. M. (1997a). Big Business Strong State: Collision and Conflict in South Korean Development 1960-1990, State University of New York Press, New York.Google Scholar
Kim, H. J. (1990). The labour movement in Korea: Present status and perspectives. In Kim, D. C. and Healey, G. (eds.), Korea and the United Kingdom, Political and Economic Trends and Issues, Institute of East and West Studies, Yonsei University, Seoul.Google Scholar
Kim, H. J. (1993). Current issues in the Korean National Health Insurance Program. In Jung, K. H., Park, T. K., and Wilkinson, R. (eds.), Social Welfare and Education in Korea and the United Kingdom, Institute of East and West Studies, Yonsei University, Seoul.Google Scholar
Kim, H. R. (1997b). Civil society and non-governmental organisations in South Korea: Toward global governance. Communication to the workshop, How to Help NGO Sector in Korea, Seoul.Google Scholar
Kim, J. K. (1999). The growth of nonprofit sector in Korea and its changing relation with the state, First International Conference on Third Sector in Asia, Bangkok, Thailand, Nov. 20-22, 1999.Google Scholar
Kim, K., and Leipziger, D. M. (1993). Korea: A Case of Government-Led Development Lessons of East Asia, World Bank Country Study, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
Kim, K. C., and Kim, S. (1989). Kinship group and patrimonial executives in a developing nation: A case study of Korea. Journal of Developing Areas, 24.Google Scholar
Kim, S. H. (1996). Civil society in South Korea: From grand democracy movements to petty interest groups? Journal of East Asian Studies, 15(2), 81–97.Google Scholar
Kim, S. H. (1997c). State and civil society in South Korea’s democratic consolidation. Asian Survey, 37(12), 1135–1144.10.2307/2645762CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kim, S. H. (1998). Civil society and democratisation in South Korea. Korea Journal, 38(2), 214236.Google Scholar
Kim, S. K. (1988). The formation of civil society and the rise of regionalism in Korea. Korea Journal, 28(2), 24–34.Google Scholar
Kitajima, K. (2000). Remarques sur l’économie sociale au Japon, mimeo, University of Liege, Belgium.Google Scholar
Koo, H. G. (1993). State and Society in Contemporary Korea, Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY.Google Scholar
Korea Herald, Health Ministry to Tighten Regulations on Postpartum Maternity Centers, Seoul, Nov. 6, 2001.Google Scholar
Krugman, P. (1994). The Myth of Asia’s Miracle, Foreign Affairs, 73(6), 63–78.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ku, D. W. (1996). The structural change of the Korean environmental movement. Korea Journal of Population and Development, 25(1), 153–180.Google Scholar
Lee, H. K. (1996). Women and philanthropy in South Korea from a Non-Western perspective, ISTR 2nd Conference, Mexico.Google Scholar
Lee, H. K. (1999). Globalization and the emerging welfare sate, the experience of South Korea. International Journal of Social Welfare, 8, 23–37.10.1111/1468-2397.00059CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lee, H.-S. (1997a). State formation and civil society under American occupation: The case of South Korea. Korea Journal of Population and Development, 26(2), 15–32.Google Scholar
Lee, H.-S. (1999b). Korea’s aging population. Korea Focus, 7(5), 78–92.Google Scholar
Lee, J. W., and Rhee, C. Y. (1999). Social impacts of the Asian crisis: Policy challenges and lessons, HDR Occasional Paper, 33, UNDP.Google Scholar
Lee, S. H. (1993). Transitional politics of Korea, 1987-1992: Activation of civil society. Pacific Affairs, 66(3), 351–367.10.2307/2759615CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lee, S. H., and Smith, D. (1991). Antisystemic movements in South Korea: The rise of environmental activism, 15th PEWS Conference, University of Hawaii, Hawaii, March 28-30, 1991.Google Scholar
Lee, S. H. (1997b). The Rise of Environmentalism in South Korea, Working paper, 58, Research Center on Development and International Relations, Aalborg University, Denmark.Google Scholar
Lew, S. C., and Chang, M. H. (1998). Functions and role of the nonprofit/nongovernmental sector for Korean social development. Korea Journal, 38(4).Google Scholar
Lim, H. S. (1998). Korean society: Current status and future outlook. Korea Focus, 6(5), 78–94.Google Scholar
Lipset, S. (1959). Some social requisites of democracy: Economic development and political legitimacy. American Political Science Review, 53.10.2307/1951731CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mertens, S. (1999). Nonprofit organisations and social economy: Two ways of understanding the third-sector. Annals of Public and Co-operative Economics, 70(3), 501–520.10.1111/1467-8292.00122CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Monnier, L., and Thiry, B. (eds.) (1997). Mutations structurelles et intérêt général, De Boeck, Brussels.Google Scholar
Office, National Statistical (1996). Annual Report on the Economically Active Population Survey, Seoul.Google Scholar
Office, National Statistical (1997). Korea Statistical Yearbook, Seoul.Google Scholar
Office, National Statistical (1999). Social Indicators in Korea, Seoul.Google Scholar
No, D. M. (2001). La cooperation entre le public et le prive pour lutter contre l’exclusion, OECD, Paris.Google Scholar
OECD (1996). La Coree, Etudes economiques de l’OCDE, Paris.Google Scholar
Office of the President of the Republic of Korea (2000). DJ Welfarism, Seoul.Google Scholar
Papanek, G. (1987). The new Asian capitalism: An economic portrait. In Berger, P. L. and Hsiao, M. (eds.), In Search of An East Asian Development Model, Transaction, New Brunswick.Google Scholar
Park, H. S. (1990). Social change in Korea. In Kim, D. C. and Healey, G. (eds.), Korea and the United Kingdom, Political and Economic Trends and Issues, Institute of East and West Studies, Yonsei University, Seoul.Google Scholar
Park, T. K. (1996). The role of nonprofit corporate foundations in Korea: Positive and negative perspectives. Voluntas, 7(1), 57–65.10.1007/BF02354068CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Park, T. K. (1998). Medical Care Institutions in Korea: A Nonprofit Organization Approach, mimeo, Seoul.Google Scholar
Park, T. K. (1999). Government policy attitude on nonprofit organisations and activities: A comparative study between Japan and Korea, First International Conference on Third Sector in Asia, Bangkok, Thailand, Nov. 20-22, 1999.Google Scholar
Putnam, R. (1993). Making Democracy Work: Civic Traditions in Modern Italy, Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ.Google Scholar
Pye, L. (1985), Asian Powers and Politics: The Cultural Dimensions of Authority, Belknap Press, Cambridge, MA.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Salamon, L. (1994). The rise of the nonprofit sector. Foreign Affairs, 73(4), 111–124.10.2307/20046747CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Salamon, L., and Anheier, H. (1996). The Emerging Nonprofit Sector, Manchester University Press, Manchester, England.Google Scholar
Salamon, L., and Anheier, H. (1998). Le secteur de la société civile: Une nouvelle force sociale, Revue du MAUSS, 11, Paris.Google Scholar
Salamon, L., and Anheier, H. (1999). The Emerging Sector Revisited, A Summary, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD.Google Scholar
Scalapino, R. A. (1981). Development, Urbanization and Social Inequality in Korea, Modernization of Korea and the Impact of the West, University of Southern California, California.Google Scholar
Seong, K. R. (1998). Delayed decentralization and incomplete consolidation of democracy, Asian Perspective, 22(1), 109–133.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shin, G. W. (1994a). The historical making of collective action: The Korean peasant uprising of 1946. American Journal of Sociology, 99(6), 1596–1624.10.1086/230455CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shin, Y. H. (1994b). Conjunction of Tonghak and the peasantwarof1894. Korea Journal, 34(4), 59–75.Google Scholar
Soh, Y A. (1999). Is the budding civic movement for real or a bubble? Korea Focus, 7(3), 91–106.Google Scholar
Steinberg, D. (1997). Civil society and human rights in Korea: On contemporary and classical orthodoxy and ideology. Korea Journal, 37(3), 145–165.Google Scholar
Tanaka, H. (1997). Mergers and structural reorganisation of agricultural co-operatives in Japan. In Nilsson, J. and Van Dijks, G. (eds.), Strategies and Structures in the Agri-food Industries, Van Gorcum, Assen, Holland.Google Scholar
Economist, The (1998). Frozen miracle, a survey of East-Asian economies. March 7, 1998.Google Scholar
Thornton, W. (1998). Korea and East Asian exceptionalism. Theory, Culture and Society, 15(2), 137154.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
UNDP (2001). Human Development Report 2001, New York.Google Scholar
Vienney, C. (1994). L’économie sociale, La Decouverte, Paris.Google Scholar
Vogel, E. F. (1991). The Four Little Dragons: The Spread of Industrialization in East Asia, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA.Google Scholar
Weisbrod, B. (1977). The Voluntary Nonprofit Sector, Lexington, Books DC Health and Company, Lexington, Massachusetts.Google Scholar
World Bank (1993). The East Asian Miracle: Economic Growth and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, New York.Google Scholar
Yamamoto, T. (ed.) (1995). Emerging Civil Society in the Asia Pacific Community, Japan Center for International Exchange, Tokyo.Google Scholar
Zelizer, V. (1979). Morals and Markets: The Development of Life Insurance in the United States, Columbia University Press, New York.Google Scholar
Zukin, S., and Di Maggio, P. (eds.) (1990). Structures of Capital: The Social Organisation of the Economy, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, MA.Google Scholar