Uk Heo

• Ph.D.
• Professor (Full) at University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee

Objective Despite a plethora of studies on the relationship between foreign aid and economic growth of the recipient countries, there is no consensus. We argue that the size of the winning coalition dictates the decision on how the aid capital is used because the top priority of national leaders is staying in power. To this end, we investigate how...

Since Nye’s introduction of the soft power concept, there have been scholarly debates on whether it is real and how it works. Despite the vast volume of studies, there is a void in the literature on theoretically explaining and empirically testing if soft power can be generated without the support of hard power. To fill this gap in the literature,...

Due to the lack of studies on the effects of US troops on an individual host state, we studied the effects of US troops on South Korea’s politics and economy. Based on security enhancement benefits, we hypothesized that USFK would have positive effects on South Korea’s investment, trade, economic growth, and political development. Employing Heo and...

Despite the unsuccessful outcomes of his policies on economic growth and North Korea, Moon Jae-in at midterm has received relatively high levels of job approval ratings compared to his immediate predecessors. What made it possible for him to maintain these ratings? To analyze this puzzle, we employed the three commonly noted leadership qualities—ef...

Among the major events that occurred in Asia in 2019 were four that received global attention: the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the US-China trade war, the North Korean nuclear issue, and protests in Hong Kong. These events have significant policy implications for the world as well as for Asia.

Over the past decades, East Asian states have enjoyed economic development and progress toward democracy through extensive economic transformation: trade and financial liberalization. To explain the theoretical mechanism of these variables, we investigate the direct and indirect effects of globalization on democratic development via economic develo...

South Korea, China, and Japan have history and territorial disputes in each of their bilateral relationship. These issues have existed for several decades, but they have not surfaced all the time. In the recent past, however, both China and Japan adopted policies that caused friction. Why did they do that? That is because of China's aggressive fore...

JAAS DATA FILE

Data file for the Taiwan model (Kim and Heo 2019)

The biggest story of 2018 was a series of summit meetings between US President Donald Trump, South Korean President Moon Jae-in, and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to discuss the denuclearization of North Korea. The income-led growth policies of the Moon Jae-in administration have not stimulated the economy.

Cambridge Core - Asian Studies - The Evolution of the South Korea–United States Alliance - by Uk Heo

The Evolution of the South Korea–United States Alliance - by Uk Heo September 2018

The Evolution of the South Korea–United States Alliance - by Uk Heo September 2018

The Evolution of the South Korea–United States Alliance - by Uk Heo September 2018

The Evolution of the South Korea–United States Alliance - by Uk Heo September 2018

The Evolution of the South Korea–United States Alliance - by Uk Heo September 2018

The Evolution of the South Korea–United States Alliance - by Uk Heo September 2018

The Evolution of the South Korea–United States Alliance - by Uk Heo September 2018

The Evolution of the South Korea–United States Alliance - by Uk Heo September 2018

The Evolution of the South Korea–United States Alliance - by Uk Heo September 2018

The Evolution of the South Korea–United States Alliance - by Uk Heo September 2018

Objective Few studies have systematically examined the international organization (IO)‐democracy nexus, except Pevehouse (2002, 2005), who found the democratizing impact of regional IOs. Our study extends previous research by investigating the indirect as well as the direct effects of IOs on democracy. Methods We employ a two‐equation model, using...

The biggest story of 2017 in South Korea was the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye and the election of Moon Jae-in, shifting power from conservative to progressive. The economy showed signs of recovery despite multiple concerns. The North Korean nuclear crisis intensified tensions in the region. © 2018 by The Regents of the University of Calif...

Since the end of World War II, the U.S. military has deployed its troops all over the world for regional security and/or peace building. Despite the importance of its political, economic, and military impact on the region, few studies examined how U.S. military deployment overseas affects the host nation’s economy except Jones and Kane (2012) and K...

When Park Geun-hye was elected South Korea’s first female president in 2012, many expected that South Korea’s democracy would deepen. Contrary to the expectation, however, from the beginning of her administration, there were concerns about democracy retreating due to her leadership style/qualities. Despite her rather “undemocratic” leadership quali...

In this paper, we develop a theory on how economic development in South Korea has reshaped its foreign policy and examine the rising middle power’s personnel contributions to the United Nations (UN) peacekeeping operations (PKOs) using a supply-side rational choice model. Not only do the result reaffirm economic development as the fundamental drivi...

Economic development in South Korea and Taiwan has received considerable scholarly attention, as they are two of the most successful cases since the 1960s. For all their similarities, differences also exist. Thus, we revisited economic development in South Korea and Taiwan to draw lessons for other developing countries. Our analysis indicates that...

In this study, we combine both demand- and supply-side models to investigate the direct and indirect link between defense spending and economic growth. With data from 161 states for 1990-2012, we conduct a comprehensive examination of the defense-growth nexus in the post-Cold War world. Our findings suggest that at the global level, military spendi...

This study investigates what factors affect Republic of Korea (South Korea)–United States (ROK–US) relations based on a theoretical framework, using event data created by content analysis from 1990 to 2011. South Korea’s economic development led to democratization, which resulted in elite changes. New progressive elites interpreted national interes...

Despite a plethora of studies on ROK-US relations, few have systematically examined the factors that have caused changes in the relationship between the two states. To fill this gap in the literature, this article investigates the factors that have caused the fluctuation in the relationship between South Korea and the United States in recent years....

Despite the ties between politics and economics, less attention has been given to how economic development affects foreign policy. To fill the gap in the literature, we develop a theory we call development power theory, linking economic development and foreign policy/relations and apply the theory to the South Korean case. Development power theory...

Objective Despite a plethora of studies on the relationship between democracy and economic development, a dominant theoretical framework has yet to emerge. Economic development may lead to the transition to democracy and mature democratic institutions are likely to help economic development. Thus, in this article, we test the relationship among eco...

South Korea experienced democratization in 1987, yet violations of the democratic rule of law are rather common; such actions are far from routine practices of democratic institutions. We argue that South Korea's political culture is the reason for the tardy maturing of democratic institutions.

In this paper we extend dyadic research on conflict processes in international relations, to the analysis of triadic relationship. Specifically, we argue that although conflict can be explained at the dyadic level of analysis, a triadic analysis can greatly enrich our understanding of the dynamics of conflict and cooperation. We present a theory of...

South Korea's phenomenal rise has been studied extensively by political scientists and economists both in terms of its impact on democratisation and as a role model for economic development. Yet little attention has been devoted to exploring the nexus between economic development and foreign policy. In South Korea's Rise, Uk Heo and Terence Roehrig...

Economic development led to the transition to democracy in South Korea. However, South Korea's democracy is not consolidated according to the maximalist definition despite that South Korea transitioned to democracy almost three decades ago. Factors that facilitated democratization, such as strong leadership and Confucianism seem to delay democratic...

A recurring theme in electoral politics is that American voters hold the president responsible for the state of the economy. Ironically, many Presidency scholars argue that presidents are ill equipped to manage the economy because other variables compete with and complicate the effects of fiscal policy. These include international variables, privat...

Armed Forces and Society recently published an article, "Intra-Military Division and Democratization in South Korea" by Insoo Kim. In the article, Kim argues that economic development and civil society explanations for South Korea's democratization are not sufficient because conflict in the military undermined the ability of Chun's government to su...

In June 2010, the People's Republic of China and Taiwan signed the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA), a preferential trade agreement, which is arguably the most important agreement between China and Taiwan. In this paper, we analyze ECFA and investigate its implications for South Korea since China is South Korea's largest trade partne...

The Third Wave of Democratization did not avoid Asia, which had significant impact. In this paper, we survey the theories on the relationship between democracy/democratization and economic growth. Then we apply the theories to the Asian experience, which has both theoretical and policy implications. Findings of our study will help us better underst...

The Third Wave of Democratization in Asia occurred as a result of economic development (e.g. South Korea and Taiwan) or financial crisis (e.g. The Philippines and Thailand). As a result, the primary focus of new democratic governments in Asian countries is likely to be economic performance. Despite a vast volume of studies, there is a void in quant...

Since South Korea and Taiwan established diplomatic ties in August 1948, the relationship between Seoul and Taipei has gradually expanded through public channels and private-sector networks. However, South Korea's normalization of relations with China in 1992 led Taiwan to sever its formal ties with South Korea. Nevertheless, Seoul and Taipei expan...

Past studies on military expenditures in the United States have primarily focused on the extent to which guns versus butter trade-offs are prevalent without examining this relationship in the context of how other fiscal policy tools are used to pay for defense. Using annual data from 1947-2007, this study examines the relative importance of defense...

This 2010 book examines the changes in politics, economics, society, and foreign policy in South Korea since 1980. Starting with a brief description of its history leading up to 1980, this book deals with South Korea’s transition to democracy, the stunning economic development achieved since the 1960s, the 1997 financial crisis, and the economic re...

Recent increases in U.S. defense spending have renewed interest in the defense—growth nexus. The Feder-Ram—based models have traditionally been used in examining this relationship, but Dunn, Smith, and Willenbockel recommend the augmented Solow model because of several weaknesses inherent in the Feder-Ram model (including its static nature, simulta...

There have been debates on how political corruption may affect foreign direct investment (FDI) attractiveness. Some scholars argue that corruption increases economic uncertainty due to arbitrariness and thereby affects FDI negatively. On the other hand, another group of scholars contends that corruption leads to greater FDI because it can create a...

Since the first North Korean nuclear crisis started in 1994, more than a decade has passed. During the time, period, numerous meetings and negotiations among relevant parties have occurred and enormous amounts of economic aid from South Korea and the United States have been provided to North Korea. The Geneva Agreed Framework was made in 1994, and...

South Korea and the USA maintained a strong alliance relationship throughout the Cold War. However, changes in the international security environment surrounding the Korean peninsula with the end of the Cold War and changes among South Korean political elites brought about different perceptions of North Korea and the USA. These changes led to sharp...

South Korea and the United States have maintained a close relationship throughout the Cold War. Their economic relationship has also progressed in the past several decades. However, with new political elites in South Korea after the transition to democracy, the relationship between the two countries has changed. Trade friction has also occurred as...

East Asia has led the world in economic growth and export expansion in recent decades. The phenomenal rate of economic growth among the so-called “four little tigers”—Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan—enabled them to achieve newly industrializing country (NIC) status in the 1980s, followed by Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. Earlier s...

This paper examines the role of FDI from the United States in the economic performance of East Asian NICs for 1966–2000. To this end, we draw our argument of the role of FDI from the modernization–dependency debate. Then, we test the economic effects of U.S. direct investment on economic growth in East Asian NICs using a neoclassical production fun...

co-edited two vol reference set

Since its partition in the 1950s, the Korean peninsula has directly or indirectly shaped the broader security relations between regional powerhouses, and the recent test of a nuclear weapon by the North Korean regime has heightened tensions across the world. This study draws upon contributions from a diverse array of experts who offer their perspec...

The Korean Peninsula is one of the few regions in the world that still live with Cold War-style military confrontation. North Korea adopted the “military first” policy and concentrated its resources on the military. In addition, they have developed nuclear and missile programs, which have been a primary source of security volatility in the region....

Since September 11, 2001, international relations and conflicts in the Middle East and South Asia have attracted the lion’s share of attention from analysts and journalists. This is especially true in the United States, given that tens of thousands of U.S. troops are fighting insurgent-terrorist groups in Afghanistan and Iraq. Unfortunately, there...

With the recent North Korean nuclear crisis, along with President Roh Moo Hyun’s emphasis on a self-reliance defense policy, the level of defense spending in South Korea has increased in recent years. Due to the sluggish economy, these increases in defense spending have been a cause for public concern. By developing a multilink defense-growth model...

With the 'third wave of democratization', South Korea joined the democracy club in the late 1980s. Although electoral performance and the party system have changed since the transition to democracy, there has been little systematic examination of the changes. In this article, we conduct an empirical test after developing a theoretical argument abou...

To investigate the direct and indirect effects of defense spending on economic growth, the authors develop a multilink (via investment, employment, and exports) defense-growth model and test it with U.S. data for the time period from 1951 to 2000. By doing so, they advance previous scholarship on the indirect effects of the defense-growth trade-off...

co-edited two vol reference collection

If the US has wielded power as global hegemon, then there should be evidence of a linkage between American resources and the ability to influence behavior. However, there is widespread disagreement on how this power is manifested (see Krause, 199115. Krause , K . (1991). Military statecraft: power and influence in Soviet and American arms transfer...

One of the most persistent areas of discussion regarding South Korea's party and election systems is the continued elevation of regional personalities over political institutions. We seek to pour new wine into old bottles, however, by challenging a seldom-considered assumption in Korean studies; that regionalism has exerted constant pressures acros...

South Korea and Taiwan have gone through similar experience of political and economic development in the past several decades. Both countries have achieved miraculous economic developments under the government-led development paradigm and have gone through democratization process in the 1990s. Despite the similarity in developing history, the 1997...

The modernisation model of economic development assumed that foreign capital was a necessary catalyst for transforming societies. Dependency theorists, however, often point to its detrimental effects, especially in regard to economic domination. Much of the quantitative dependency literature has tended to focus on US foreign direct investment (FDI)...

Despite a volume of studies on the relationship between power distribution, the onset of war, and the impact of alliance and differential economic growth rate on the incidence of war, there is no strong conclusion about the issues. We reexamined the relationship between these variables and found that the differential growth rates in alliance-making...

South Korea and Taiwan have similar experiences as to political and economic development, i.e., rapid economic growth and democratization. However, the 1997 financial crisis experiences were quite different South Korea was hit hard by the crisis whereas Taiwan was barely touched. Why were the experiences different between South Korea and Taiwan? We...

Much of the world reaped a peace dividend with the end of the Cold War, yet Asia has seen little reduction in tensions and military spending. Three Cold War era conflicts-those dividing China and Taiwan, North and South Korea, and India and Pakistan-remain unresolved. Other regional powers, as well as the United States, continue to be concerned abo...

South Korea enjoyed high rates of economic growth until the mid–1990s. However in mid–1997 the country went into a severe economic crisis which ultimately resulted in a request for an IMF bailout. Leading up to the crisis, the government had embarked upon democratic liberalization but not much economic liberalization. This research explores why the...

Part 1 Introduction, Theoretical Overview, and Economic Background Chapter 2 Explaining Pre-Crisis Policies and Post-Crisis Responses: Coalitions and Institutions in East Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe Chapter 3 The Persistent Liberalizing Trend in Foreign Economic Policies: The Role of Dispersed Interest Groups, Policy Legacies, and Ideol...

Since World War II, the modernization model has been the mainstream paradigm for economic development. Modernization assumes that foreign capital is a necessary catalyst for transforming societies from traditional to modem. Challenges to the modernization paradigm culminated in dependency theory. Dependency theorists point to detrimental effects of...

We analyze the politics of the U.S. defense budget from 1953 to 1992. Institutional factors make it impractical for the president to use aggregate defense spending politically. For this reason, we focus on defense prime contract awards (PCA) because they are removed from public opinion, do not require congressional approval and can be precisely tim...

In the 1950s modernization began to be an important paradigm for Latin American development. Early modernization theory depicted the economies of Latin America as traditional and underdeveloped. The theme of technological progress runs consistently through the modernization model. The purpose of this article is to assess an important question raise...

Since Lipset's seminal study, some scholars have believed that economic development leads to democratization. Theoretically, however, more democratized political systems can also stimulate economic growth and development. Thus, democracy may lead to economic growth, while economic development may also lead to democratization. A Granger causal analy...

In this paper, we revisit the contending theories of defense burden-sharing to suggest a revised model and apply it to the U.S.-South Korea alliance to explain the alliance relationship. The reason that we have chosen this case is that the alliance between the U.S. and South Korea has confronted the burden-sharing issue. For instance, at the beginn...

Scholars have investigated the relationship between defense spending and domestic political constraints. Because of a two-year time lag, however, it is difficult to make a theoretical link between the aggregate defense budget and domestic politics. We focus on defense contract awards because of their rapid turn-around. We advance the referendum mod...

Scholars have investigated the relationship between defense spending and domestic political constraints. Because of a two-year time lag, however, it is difficult to make a theoretical link between the aggregate defense budget and domestic politics. We focus on defense contract awards because of their rapid turn-around. We advance the referendum mod...

In late 1997 South Korea experienced a severe economic downturn. The country experienced a serious shortage of foreign currency. The exchange rate against the U.S. dollar went from below 900 won to the dollar that summer to around 1,500 in mid-November. Foreign exchange reserves were dangerously low and this produced clear signs of panic in the mar...

Despite a large volume of work on the defense-growth relationship in the United States, previous studies have failed to reach a consensus. Part of the explanation of the mixed results may be that various data sets and model designs have been employed. Thus, using an updated (1948-1996) and longer data set, I test several of the more prominent defen...

Due to the lingering food crisis, speculations about the collapse of the North Korean regime have intensified in recent years. The collapse of the North Korean regime is expected to generate a tremendous economic burden on the South Korean economy. Moreover, the current economic crisis in South Korea requires a tight fiscal policy. Thus, on the bas...

Recent democratization in Third World countries has prompted many students in social science to reinvestigate the determinants for successful democratization. Extant empirical studies have traditionally utilized the universe of countries to test the correlation between socio-economic development and democracy. In this study, however, we limit our s...

One of the most important questions stemming from the end of the cold war is how reductions in defense spending will affect economic performance. This question has significant policy implications for countries facing public demands for defense cutbacks and countries still maintaining high levels of military spending for security. However, previous...

In the last 30 years the East Asian NICs (Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand) have experienced significant economic and technological expansion alongside increases in military spending. We derive a production function model that is sensitive to both technological progress and the defense sector. We employ the model to assess the...

It is generally believed that high levels of military expenditures hamper economic growth because it crowds out investment. Contrary to this popular belief, South Korea and Taiwan have achieved a miraculous economic development while maintaining heavy defense burden. In this study, we investigate how defense spending affects economic growth in thes...