한미재단(American Korean Foundation), 냉전과 한미 하방연대

Abstract

It can be revealed by focusing American Korean Foundation(AKF, American private foundation) that dynamic movements of relations between Korea and U.S. during the Cold War. In August 1952, claiming to be nonprofit, nonpolitical, non-religious, AKF started at the White House, which was a result of Cold War policies that were relevant to interests of Eisenhower and Syngman Rhee administration. AKF contributed $50m to South Korea from 1952 to 1976 and helped its postwar rehabilitation and modernization. It can be explained by typical example of the news-boy contest among ‘Little Tigers’ that the Cold War policies of Korea and U.S. government with AKF were used in propaganda war. AKF is distinguished from other aid or assistance by other American regnant private foundations in several points. First, because of the inherent feature of AKF that the Cold War Korea-U.S. relations were intensively reflected, the composition of organization and aid projects of AKF were directly influenced by changes in the relations. Second, despite its semi-governmental management, AKF could improve effectiveness of assistant projects with close cooperation to Korean administration. Third, AKF was able to use strategy of choice and concentration to Korea that was based on assistance by cooperation with other private foundations as well as the official aid. Fourth, the fields of assistant projects by AKF were vast in scale. Especially six core projects by AKF were Health care medical services, 4-H agricultural activities, Community development projects, Education programs, Social welfare programs, Housing projects. Fifth, AKF devoted itself into localization in Korea, as the result of that, the effect and influence of its assistance increased. Sixth, AKF helped America to improve its image, and to cement friendly relationship between Korea and U.S. in private sector. At the same time AKF also contributed to toning the conflict about official aid between Korea and U.S. down. It can be shown by the supporting 4-H club project that such as above positive aspects of downward solidarity of Korea-U.S. during the Cold War. AKF made 4-H club become the spearhead of rural community development and rural modernization during 1953~1979 not only by huge economic and technological assistance but also by spreading American democracy. Korean 4-H club had not had autonomy, but after importing American model, became autonomous and growed as second largest scale worldwide in late 1960s. 4-H club formed a material basis of Saemaeul Movement in 1970s with its organization and human resources. Supporting 4-H club project by AKF contribute to spreading procedural democracy and ‘soundless’ Americanization. However, spreading democracy and Americanization in Korea were not success because of structural condition of Korean rural community where there were premodern ways of thinking and patriarchal authoritarianism in that times. Korean rural communities, in addition, declined gradually and 4-H club also could not maintain its self-expandability and reproduction of human resources.