East Asian Human Security and Post-Conflict Development in Comparative Prospective

 

 

Tentative Program-May 14, 2012 v. 23

 

East Asian Human Security and Post-Conflict Development in

Comparative Perspective

An International Workshop hosted by the Institute for Development and Human Security of Ewha Womans 

University and Korea Association of International Development and Cooperation

Ewha Woman University May 18, 2012

 

The  three  largest  economies  of  East  Asia,  Japan,  China,  and  South  Korea,  have  all 

experienced growth of such magnitude and under such difficult conditions as not only to have 

attracted the tag of East Asian economic ‘miracles’ but also to be seen as development models to be 

emulated. Immediately prior to their periods of growth all experienced the devastating impacts of 

international conflicts and/or civil upheaval. Not surprisingly then following Japan’s remarkable 

post-war boom and evolution into an economic powerhouse, other regional economies looked to follow 

Tokyo’s lead contributing to a perception both within and outside the region of a ‘flying geese’ 

model East Asian capitalism. More recently, after decades of strife during the civil war and the 

Cultural Revolution, China has transformed, enjoying such startling and sustained double digit 

economic growth that it is expected to overhaul the United States as the World’s largest economy 

within the next two decades.  The  resilience  of  China’s  growth,  continuing  even  during  

periods  of  global economic  and  political  turmoil,  has  led  to  talk  of  a  Beijing  

Consensus  as  a  model  for economic development. Finally, through the ‘miracle on the Han river’ 

South Korea grew from a devastated shell of a state, one of the poorest in the world let alone the 

region and heavily dependent itself on ODA for 50 years (1945-95), to become the newest member of 

the OECD DAC, and host of both the G20 and the High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness.

Other apparent post-conflict East Asian development success stories include the tiger economies of 

Taiwan and Singapore, and more recently Vietnam. Indeed researchers at the IMF note that the 

spectacular development growth of many economies in East Asia over the past 30 years has amazed the 

economics profession. Not surprisingly then, the region has experienced something akin to 

‘econophoria’ whereby the solutions to all society’s ills are sought through economic growth, 

development, and modernization. However, these post-conflict development ‘success’ stories do not 

tell the whole story. Other states in East Asia  and  in  particular  certain  regions  within  

some  of  these  states,  while  apparently emerging from similar conflictual backgrounds, and 

despite significant assistance and investment have far less positive stories to tell. 

Burma/Myanmar, Lao PDR, East Timor, and North Korea rank among the worst states in the world in 

terms of both development performance and the measurements of human security. Cambodia fares only 

slightly better. Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand appear stuck in the middle income trap, 

and each has  significant  ongoing  sub-state  internal  conflicts  (Aceh  and  West  Papua,  

Muslim Mindanao, and the southern provinces respectively.

Thus the central questions concern: How successfully have individual East Asian countries dealt 

with the challenges of post-conflict development? What are commonalities and differences in the 

ways in which East Asians have coped with post-conflict development? Is there an Asian model of 

post-conflict development, and how does this compare with models from other regions? How 

transferable are East Asian successes? And what is the role of  international  communities  and  

organizations?  This  conference  will  examine  a  set  of success cases and a set of obstacle 

cases, as well as the international dimension, and policy prescriptions for East Asian donors and actors in an effort to provide Asian solutions for Asian problems.

 

The   independent   variables   shared   by   most   if   not   all   of   the   states   under 

consideration are: conflict, colonial legacy, and nationalism. In order to explain variance in 

terms of outcome (development/underdevelopment; security/insecurity) the case studies will  examine 

 the  following  intervening  policy  variables:  Developmental  state,  national project (unified 

and inclusive), ownership, and a holistic action plan including simultaneous measures address 

insecurity and underdevelopment at both the national and human level. For example, South and North 

Korea have similar backgrounds in terms of conflict, colonial legacy, and nationalism yet have 

diametrically opposed outcomes. The explanation for the variance can be found in the intervening 

variables, particularly in the lack in North Korea of a holistic action plan. Although North Korea 

attempted a version of the developmental state (a very flawed version), certainly retained 

ownership (juche), and had a national project (songun), it has not incorporated development and 

security policies, and certainly has not addressed these issues at both the national and 

local/human levels.

 

Preliminary Program

As of May 14, 2012

 

09:00-09:30      Registration

 

09:30-09:40      Opening Ceremony (Welcoming Remarks) / International Education

Building (IEB) LG Convention Hall (B1)

 

09:45-10:45      Panel 1: The International Dimension / IEB LG Convention Hall

- Brendan Howe – Human Security and Development

- Boris Kondoch – Responsibility to Protect in East Asia

- Moderator: Jae-Jung Suh

 

KAIDEC 1: State, Conflict and Aid Effectiveness / IEB Room 1001

- Jiyoung Kim (Professor, Ewha Womans University): Politics of Foreign

Assistance in Zambia

- Woojin Jung (Senior Researcher, Korea Institute for Development Strategy): Korea's Development 

Assistance in Fragile States: What is at Stake?

- Discussant 1: TBC

- Discussant 2: Eun Mie Lim (Professor, Ewha Womans University)

 

10:45-11:00       Coffee Break

 

11:00-12:30      Panel 2: East Asian Success Stories and Caveats / IEB LG Convention Hall

- Jae-Jung Suh – South Korea

- Christian Schafferer – Taiwan

- Ramses Amer – Vietnam

- Moderator: Eun Mee Kim

 

KAIDEC 2: Technology, Empirical Evidence, and Interventions in Aid / IEB Room 1001

- Tong Won Kim (Professor, Sungkyunkwan University): The Role and

2 Measurement of Social Protection in Achieving MDGs: Case Study of

Nigeria

- Kyung-Ryul Park (ICT4D Consultant, The World Bank): The Role of ICT in Improving Transparency and 

Accountability of Public Services to the Poor Communities and Developing Countries

- Discussant 1: Moon, Seoung-hyun (Deputy Director General, North American Affairs Bureaucracy, 

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Republic of Korea)

- Discussant 2: Jun Youn Kim (Executive Director, National IT Industry

Promotion Agency)

 

12:30-14:00      Lunch for participants hosted by Korea Association of International

Development and Cooperation (KAIDEC)

 

14:00-15:30       Panel 3: East Asian Obstacle Cases and Policy Prescription / IEB Room

1002

- Sorpong Peou – Cambodia

- Nathan Quimpo – Philippines/Mindanao

- Ed Aspinall – Indonesia/Aceh

- Moderator: Barbara Stallings

 

15:30-15:45       Coffee Break

 

15:45-17:15       Panel 4: Asian Donors and Actors in the Promotion of Human Security / IEB Room 

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- Carolina Hernandez – ASEAN

- Keiichi Tsunekawa – Japan

- Ian Holliday – Rising China and Global Justice

- Moderator: Brendan Howe

 

17:15-17:30       Wrap Up

 

18:00-20:00       Dinner for participants hosted by Korean Journal of Defense Analysis