HOW SOUTH KOREA GOT RICH

In 1960, South Korea was one of the poorest places on Earth—poorer than Haiti and Ethiopia. Today, it’s a global leader in technology, automotive engineering, and pop culture. How did they do it?
This video explores the "Miracle on the Han River," a period of rapid industrialization that transformed a war-torn ruin into a top-10 global economy in just one generation. We dive into:
The desperate poverty of the 1950s and the "Barley Hump" famine.
The controversial rise of Park Chung-hee and the "Five-Year Plans."
The birth of the Chaebols: How Samsung, Hyundai, and LG became global giants.
The 1997 Asian Financial Crisis and the incredible story of millions of Koreans donating their gold to save the nation.
Discover the grit, discipline, and sacrifice behind South Korea's rise to the top.
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References & Sources
World Bank Open Data: GDP per capita (current US$) - Korea, Rep. * International Monetary Fund (IMF): World Economic Outlook Database (2024/2025 updates).

Forbes: "South Korea: From The Poorest to The Most Developed in 30 Years."

Harvard Business Review: "The Chaebol and South Korea’s Industrial Development."

National Museum of Korean Contemporary History: Chronology of the Five-Year Economic Development Plans.

The Korea Herald: Historical archives on the 1997 IMF Crisis Gold Collection Campaign.




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