ScholarWorks@숙명여자대학교

초록

The purpose of this study is to analyze composition and duties of representatives of the National Conference for Unification, established under Article 35 of the Yushin constitution during the Fourth Republic. Park Jung-Hee regime claimed that the republic had to make an effort to achieve peaceful unification in the atmosphere of relaxation of the cold war, and declared the Yushin constitution in 1972, in the purpose of establishing strong government for unification. After the constitution, the presidential election changed from direct system to indirect system – election was done by representatives of the National Conference for Unification. Institutionally, separation of legal, administrative, and judicial powers was incapacitated, dictatorship and president-for-life system became possible. Representatives of the National Conference for Unification was directly elected by people in the Fourth republic. They were nonpayment honorary post, and were given only conference pay and travel expenses. However, government recommended important figures to come forward as representative, local leaders went into representatives based on their finance. For those who were elected as representative, they were given the right to deliberate unification policy, right of confirmation of constitution, the right to appoint president and some member of the National Assembly. The right to deliberate unification policy means that in order to decide or change important policy about unification issue, it needed to be under consideration of representatives for it was the purpose of establishing the conference. However, no meaningful unification policy was discussed or came out through the National Conference for Unification. The right to appoint president and some member of the National Assembly means that representatives of conferences only worked as electoral colleges. The purpose of election through them was maintaining Park Jung-hee regime, and representatives were only to guarantee the permanent seizure of power, as playing role of yes men. Elected candidates as the first and second representatives had to be people who support or praise Park Jung-hee regime for their inclination of politics was reflected importantly when they were registered as candidates. Also, they had to be “highly moral person who has a job”, for that, businessmen were elected in cities, when in rural places, many people – from former government employee to Saemaeul leader and some association leaders – were elected. Their appearance meant formation of new ruling power within the Fourth republic, and the regime tried to organized them. However, those who became representatives were already leaders of other organizations which were founded under the regime that wanted confirm their legitimacy of power and stabilization of political situation before the Fourth republic. Representatives of rural places worked as board members of many association while those of cities worked as executive of business organizations. As they served as representatives, they were used in indirect social mobilization of various interest groups, social functional groups, and relative associations. Their pro-government nature traces back to the First republic. Many who were served as town chiefs of myuns, dongs, villages, and assemblymen of cities, eup, myun after foundation of government ran for representatives and were elected. President Park Hung-hee died in October 26th 1979, the National Conference for Unification was abolished by the constitution of the Fifth republic. However, representatives participated as voters of the electoral college of the Fifth republic, and obtained qualification as legislative members of National Unification Advisory Council. Through this connection, it is possible to confirm that representatives had worked as main part of political and social mobilization, done by authoritarianism government, and affected conservative forces within our society.

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