Parallaxes in the Developmental Experience in Asia: How the‘Saemaul Undong’is Reviewed in South Korea, Japan, and China

Abstract

In response to the increasing polycentrism within the international development landscape, there is a growing emphasis, particularly emanating from East Asian countries, on constructing international development studies from an Asian perspective. Numerous endeavours have been attempting to establishing a dialogue platform among researchers from Asia to identify both the distinctions and commonalities in their developmental experiences. However, the academic discourse dynamics that have shaped the dialogue within each country may have been overlooked. Consequently, this article utilizes the case of South Korea's ‘Saemaul Undong’ (New Village Movement) to demonstrate that researchers from different countries interpret specific developmental experiences through distinct viewpoints. Specifically, this article delves into the formation and evolution of the Saemaul Undong, and scrutinizes its assessment by South Korean, Japanese and Chinese researchers. The conclusion reflects on the parallaxes evident in the assessment of developmental experiences shaped by various contexts in Asian countries. In this sense, the platform of development studies in Asia can aid researchers in relativizing their perspectives through comparisons, contributing to a more self-reflexive approach within the field.