The Seoul Olympics

Economic Miracle Meets the World

Bibliographic Data

ID7516105
AuthorsBrian Bridges (0000-0001-5474-7212, corresponding author)
Year2008
Volume25
Issue14
Pages1939-1952
Publication date2008-11-11
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueThe International Journal of the History of Sport (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0952-3367 • E-ISSN: 1743-9035
PublisherRoutledge (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/09523360802438983
OpenAlexW1973632292
LanguageEN
Citations received18
References cited14

The 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul were a coming out party for South Korea – a culmination of its efforts to be recognized as an accomplished economic power and a serious international actor. The South Korean leadership undoubtedly looked for accelerated economic growth as well as heightened national consciousness (including awareness of sporting cultures). Yet, the run-up to and the actual hosting of the games also had a dramatic impact on both South Korea's domestic politics, as it became a factor in the struggle for democratization, and its external relations, most specifically with North Korea and its erstwhile allies. While there were economic benefits and a more subtle impact on South Korean society, national pride, collective memory and sporting culture, it is these political legacies that have been the most profound

Democracy · Democratization · Development economics · Economic miracle · Economic power · Economics · Economy · National consciousness · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Power (physics · Pride · Sociology · Asian Culture and Media Studies · Korean Peninsula Historical and Political Studies · Law · Sport and Mega-Event Impacts

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