This research attempts to describe and explain the development of Korean environmental movement. It finds that the emergence of Korean environmental movement was constrained by the authoritarian nature of Korean politics. In 1970s, environmental movements were primitive and were not organized ones. With the wake of democratization in the 1980s, Korean environmental movement began to get some momentum. And in the 1990s, environmental movement to save clean water has achieved some success in certain areas. However, the emphasis on the growth of local economy in the age of local autonomy system has brought heavy degradation of local environment. The coming of the phenomena of Globalization and Cyber-Age has brought positive effects on Korean environmental movement.

• 김성수(인제대학교 언론정치학부) | Sung-Soo Kim Corresponding Author