A New Approach for Community Development

The Case of Saemaul Undong in Korea

JiHong KimKDI School

Poverty Issues in Asia

More than one billion people live under One Dollar a Day

The majority of world poor live in Asia 70% of them live in rural areas Development disparity between sectors, regions, gender.

Rural Community Development is the Direct Measures for Poverty Alleviation in

Rural Asia and for Cure of Disparity

Transformation of the Korean Economy (1945~2005)

Liberationfrom JapaneseColonial Rule

6 Five-Year-Economic- Development Plans

FinancialCrisis

2005P19801962 1970 1995

5,000

10,000

67 87

11,432

7,355

1953

Per Capita (US$)GNI

1990

1945

16,291

OECDMember100(1964)

1,000(1977)

1998

A. Growth Trend

Changes in Employment Structure

Manufacturing63.07.9

28.31960

Service Sector

18.6

73.5

7.9

Service Sector

Agriculture / Fisheries

Manufacturing

Agriculture / Fisheries

B. Changes in Industrial Structure

200528.1

68.4

3.5

Service Sector

Agriculture /Fisheries

Manufacturing

36.8

15.9

47.3

Manufacturing

Agriculture /Fisheries Service Sector

Changes in GDP Structure

Rural Communities in 1960s

Car accessible villages: 60%

Electricity accessible villages: 20%

Repeated natural disasters

Low agricultural productivity

One of Least Developed Countries in the World GNP/Capita: US$ 87 in 1962

Poor Infrastructure

Rural poverty ratio in 1967: 34% in absolute term.

Rural Development was an urgent Issue for poverty alleviation

and for reduction of income disparity (social instability).

Community Development Program in Korea

Introduced CD Program in 1958

Pilot Villages: 818 villages in 1960s

Agricultural Production Infrastructure Development & Housing Education, Healthcare, Nutrition …etc.

But, not put down roots successfully in Korea

Introduced Saemaul Undong program in 1971

Saemaul Undong: New Village Movement

Derived from Community Operational Mechanism

1. Village community is an autonomous body 2. Village Community is a social organization 3. Community leadership 4. Various social organizations 5. People identify problems & needs of community6. Solve problems in the way of self-help and cooperation

Initiation of Saemaul Undong: 1971

Distribute 350 bags of cements & ½ ton of steels to each rural village through out the country

Ask to do with these materials what community people want for common purpose

Induced motivation/development needs/ participation/mobilization/empowerment

Government provided supporting measures :Training, financial & administrative support/technical support

SU Performance: 1972~1981

Total US$ 7,203.2 Million Invested

Government invested 51%Community people invested 49% - 64,686km of rural road were developed - 6,187km of rural road paved - 82,596 new bridges were built - 39,231 community halls were built - 258,000 houses were newly built - 3,047 villages were reconstructed

International communities have questions “Why people participated in SU so enthusiastically?” ---Communication, Competition, Commitment

Saemaul Undong: New Village Movement

A Definition: A Rural Community Development Movement - Betterment of Living Conditions through

Income, Infrastructure, Living Environment, and Community Building

in the Ways of Self-help and Cooperation under the Government Sponsorship

Goals

Immediate goals

Improving living condition of individuals in the way of self-help and cooperation with community resources & outside support

Ultimate goal

Building a better and sound community by community peopleBuilding a strong nation

Dimensions

Income Increase

Infrastructure Building

Improve Living Environments

Spiritual Enlightenment&

Social Interaction

Self-help&

Cooperation

Strategies1. Village Community as Development Unit

2. Government Initiating Bottom-up Approach

3. Integrated Approach

4. Comprehensive Approach

5. More Support for the Better Performance

6. Two tier Change Agents

1. Village Community as Development Unit

Village as a Community (closed community)

Social interaction & common ties

Administrative unit

Planning & Development unit

Changing the Role of People

:from consumers or clients to ‘co-producer’ of public services

2. Bottom-up Approach

Bottom - Up Approach

(The Continuity of Development Process)

(People’s Participation based on Community Autonomy)

Village Community

Felt Needs forDevelopment

Develop ProjectsBy Village People

ImplementationThe SU

- Economic Affordability- People’s Empowerment - Leadership- Social Organizations- Social Norms for Cooperation and Self-help

 

Top-Down Approach

Supporting Measure

(Subsidy, Training,

Supervising)

Community-based Bottom - Up Approach

(The Continuity of Development Process)

(People’s Participation & Empowerment based on Community Autonomy)

Village Community

Felt Needs forDevelopment

Develop ProjectsBy Village People

ImplementationThe SMU

Government Initiating Bottom-up Approach

Induce Felt Needs, Providing Motivation for getting sustainability

  National Policy for the SMU Program

Supporting Measure(Financial, Training, R&D Administrative Support, Institutional Renovation)

SMU Action Plan (Community Level)

(Horizontal and vertical integration)

3. Integrated Approach

National Policy for Supporting SU Program the Case of Korea

1. Dual price policy for guaranteeing income2. Agricultural income increase policy

3. Side job income increase policy

4. Rural industrialization policy

5. R&D and agricultural extension program

6. Agricultural cooperative fostering policy

7. Farm mechanization policy

8. Agricultural infrastructure development policy

9. Rural education, med-care policy

 

Agriculture development Non-agriculture development

Agricultural Production Infrastructure Social Infrastructure Housing Building Community Center/Credit Union Community Beautification House Cleaning & Beautification  Renovation of Community Institutions Vitalization of Community Festivals Supporting Youth Activities  Drinking Water Supply Kitchen Improvement Toilet/ Bathroom Improvement

Income Generation

Infrastructure Building

SU

Community Building

Socio-Cultural

Development

Health & Sanitation

4. Comprehensive Approach at the Micro Level SU Program (horizontal integration)

5. More Support for the Better Performance

Support more for the better performed community Reward villages leaders for the success

Increase subsidy for the better performance: electrification, cash. Road, etc

Small repeated success & Follow-up program: re-enforce mechanism

Reduce subsidy for poor performance and let them bench marking the successful villages (market conforming)

Continuous support until the community reaches to the level of self-reliance & empowerment

6. Change Agents and Good Partnership (Vertical Integration)

Government Authority (State & Local)

Village Community

Saemaul Leader (village leader)

Local Government Officers

(Two Tire system)

SaeMaUl leader as Change Agent

Personal satisfaction of Saemaul leader - respect from community - lunch and training with big figures - rivalry among Saemaul leaders

Positive Motivation & Commitment

Continued Training and Support

Shared Vision

Changing Role of Women

Implementation Process Government Policy(Subsidy, Guideline)

Change Agents(Supervising,Training &Extension Service)

Village Community

Felt/Induced Needs for Development

Setting Priority of Development

Organization of Village Development Committee

Project Formulation & Goal Setting (5-Year Development Plan)

Project Approval & Implementation

Evaluation and Feed Back

Conclusions1. Based on Community Operational Mechanism

2. Government initiating & supporting measures motivate people to participate

3. Government supporting policies facilitated micro community development programs

4. Government guidelines guaranteed community autonomy

5. Community initiative and empowerment for action plan formulation

6. Partnership between Local government & community

7. Process of Capacity Building and Leadership

8. Contributed to the sustainable community development &

modernization of the nation through attain can do spirits