Sustainable Rural Transformation: Leveraging Resilience and Inclusive Growth Through the Lens of the Saemaul Undong Model

초록

This review paper critically examines the adaptability of South Korea’s Saemaul Undong (New Village Movement) as a strategic prototype for sustainable rural transformation in developing countries. The central research question guiding this study is: To what extent can the core principles and institutional mechanisms of the Saemaul Undong movement be applied to contemporary development challenges in diverse socio-political contexts? Grounded in participatory development theory and community-led growth models, this study employs a systematic literature review (SLR) methodology. A comprehensive search was conducted using academic databases such as Google Scholar, Scopus, and Web of Science, targeting peer-reviewed studies and institutional reports through Boolean keyword combinations. Thematic coding and qualitative analysis were conducted to identify recurring patterns related to success factors, implementation barriers, cultural adaptability, and long-term sustainability. The review finds that while Saemaul Undong achieved remarkable success in reducing rural poverty and modernizing infrastructure in South Korea, its transferability requires careful contextual adaptation. Successful replication hinges on strategic government support, voluntary community participation, trained local leadership, and institutional continuity. However, limitations include its dependence on centralized authority, financial sustainability concerns, and occasional exclusion of the poorest communities. Based on the identified research gaps, the paper proposes a context-sensitive “Saemaul Rural Transformation Framework” that integrates public-private-community partnerships and aligns with Official Development Assistance (ODA) priorities alongside Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This study contributes to worldwide rural development discourse by offering a structured, evidence-based assessment of how legacy development models can inform future community resilience strategies in the Global South.

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