Democratizing National Security

This thesis analyzes the intersection among civil society, human rights, and national security narratives in the Republic of Korea. It first traces the evolution of civil society, human rights, and national security narratives in South Korea, followed by an examination of the aptness of current national security narratives and its impact on human rights and civil society. The thesis attempts to answer the following questions: first, what are the dominant national security narratives in contemporary South Korean society; second, what are the human rights implications of South Korea’s national security narratives; and third, what are the significance and role of South Korean civil society under a new security framework? Finally, it argues for a shift toward a new security framework, namely one based on human security and comprehensive security frameworks.