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Pollution Disasters and Anti-Pollution Movements of South Korea in the 1970s

January 19, 2024 | 2:00PM - 4:00PM
 | 
In-person
Asian Institute, Centre for the Study of Korea

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This event took place in-person at Room 208N, North House, 1 Devonshire Place, Toronto, ON, M5S 3K7
ABOUT THE TALK
 
The problem of environmental pollution in South Korea became prominent in the 1960s and escalated into a “disaster” situation in the 1970s. This talk focused on complaints and litigation activities centered on residents of high-pollution areas in the 1970s, when environmental pollution became a serious problem in South Korea. These residents fought for the right to live as victims, who had been hidden behind economic development, exports, and growth at the time and until now. Ko examined their struggle for the right to live, and highlight the problems of the pollution control system and government administration at the time. In addition, by examining the historical significance and limitations of the pollution problem in the 1970s, we would like to consider the relationship between the Global North and the Global South today. This study can be said to be a kind of “people's history of pollution”. It is also part of Ko’s long-term plan to publish a book called “A History of Environmental Pollution in Korea in the 20th Century”.
 
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
 
Taewoo Ko (고태우) is an assistant professor in the Department of Korean History at Seoul National University in South Korea, and is studying modern Korean history and environmental history of the 20th century. In his doctoral dissertation, he revealed how Japanese-centered civil engineering contractors formed relationships with the Japanese Government-General of Korea in colonial Joseon and pursued profits, and the limitations of colonial development in the process. In 2019 after receiving his Ph.D., he became a research professor at Chosun University, Gwangju City, and was appointed the Department of Korean History at Seoul National University in 2020. Along with research on colonial Korea, he is currently researching the environmental history of East Asia, focusing on Korea in the 20th century. He historically examines environmental pollution, human responses to disasters, and the destruction and restoration of ecosystems in Korea under a critical perspective on capitalism. He is also interested in the Anthropocene/Capitalocene and post-humanism.
Sponsor: Centre for the Study of Korea, Asian Institute
Asian Institute, Centre for the Study of Korea
Asian Institute asian.institute@utoronto.ca

Speakers

Taewoo Ko
Taewoo Ko

Assistant Professor, Ph.D. in History
Department of Korean History
Seoul National University