Synergy between State and Rural Society for Development: An Analysis of the Governance System of the Rural Saemaul Undong in Korea

This study aims to examine the governance system of the Rural Saemaul Undong (RSU) from the perspective of state-society relations, by analyzing actors, processes, and formal/informal institutions. The effective and efficient state institutions created an environment in which rural people participated in the RSU programs. The village-level leadership facilitated people’s participation in the projects and contributed to forging the norms, trust, and networks among villagers that were required for development. The villagers’participation, in turn, became one of the major driving forces for rural development and strengthened public institutions as a consequence of the RSU.