Park Chung-Hee's Thoughts on Landscape Architecture

The modern landscape architectural profession and education of Korea was established in the early 1970s. The former president Park Chung-Hee was a main axis in this process of establishment. This paper critically examines Park Chung-Hee's thoughts on landscape architecture. It can show us the functional relationship between his thoughts and the beginning of the history of modem landscape architecture in Korea. The close relationship between Park Chung-Hee and Korean landscape architecture can be interpreted as double sides. First, landscape architecture was a matter of great interest for Park Chung-Hee. His involvement of landscape architecture went well beyond that of an amateur. Second, landscape architecture was a strategic instrument for practicing his political policy of economic development and nationalism. There are three remarkable tendencies in his thoughts on landscape architecture. First, he regarded that the main role of landscape architecture was to cover and to decorate damaged sites. Second, he had a contradictory notion of tradition and history. Last, the European pastoral ideal was his criterion for the beauty of landscape. His thoughts on landscape architecture were an amalgamation of these three contradictory ideas, and it has left some controversial inheritances for contemporary landscape architecture.

박정희의 조경관